“As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.”—Nelson Mandela
The 2014 Heroes of Marin were honored in November at the Marin Art & Garden Center—illuminating one of Marin’s most historic grounds with stories of dedication, leadership, triumph and, you guessed it, heroism.
When we put out the call for nominations for our fourth annual Heroes of Marin awards—our nod, in partnership with Redwood Credit Union, to Marinites focused on cultivating positive change for the county and its residents—we were flooded with nominations. Marin’s no stranger to impassioned work on worthy causes with champions and leaders all over the spectrum. From our rising star to our lifetime achievement winner, Marin is not short of the admirable talent and drive that defines the word “hero”. In mid-October, a panel of “hero” judges selected eight heroes to honor in various categories. Recipients will be honored in the Pacific Sun through Dec. 12, with feature stories highlighting their dedication and value to Marin.he 2014 Heroes of Marin were honored in November at the Marin Art & Garden Center—illuminating one of Marin’s most historic grounds with stories of dedication, leadership, triumph and, you guessed it, heroism.
This week’s honorees include Tyler Barbee, founder of Project Awareness and Special Sports—a nonprofit that links up people with special needs and volunteers to participate
in extracurricular activities, and Marv Zauderer, founder and executive director of
ExtraFood.org, a nonprofit that picks up donations of “extra” food from businesses to organizations throughout Marin County and delivers prepared meals to some of Marin’s most vulnerable populations.—Stephanie Powell
A message from Redwood Credit Union
The Presenting Sponsor
It is an honor to sponsor the 2014 Heroes of Marin awards. In a county full of residents whose aptitude and determination are testament to what makes Marin such a unique place to call home, we are honored and humbled to celebrate our eight nominees.
This week’s issue highlights our Rising Star honoree Tyler Barbee and our Innovation honoree Marv Zauderer. Here are a few reasons each hero was nominated for their heroic efforts within Marin:t is an honor to sponsor the 2014 Heroes of Marin awards. In a county full of residents whose aptitude and determination are testament to what makes Marin such a unique place to call home, we are honored and humbled to celebrate our eight nominees.
Tyler Barbee: Rising Star
Challenger baseball and basketball are leagues that pair special needs kids with student athletes. Tyler Barbee was only 11 when he started both programs in 2008 with the help of his mother. The impact is enormous: the first-of-its-kind program in Marin that fosters social and physical engagement for the kids while promoting understanding and acceptance of learning differences.
Tyler’s passion and commitment for the Challenger league stems from his experience of having a brother with autism. Tyler’s dedication to making a difference in the lives of the Challenger participants is palpable and his unconditional acceptance of them is contagious. Initially, the kids and buddies weren’t sure how to communicate. Tyler didn’t let the awkwardness of the moment interfere with his goal. He created bridges and taught how to interact by example. The response from the Marin community was overwhelmingly positive.
Marv Zauderer: Innovation
Marv Zauderer is founder and executive director of ExtraFood, a nonprofit that picks up donations of extra, prepared and ready-to-eat food from businesses and organizations in Marin County (grocery stores, farmer’s markets, caterers and corporate cafeterias, etc. …) and delivers this fresh and prepared food immediately to nonprofits that serve Marin’s most vulnerable populations.
Over 30,000 residents of Marin lack access to a secure food supply. Drawing on his previous career in high-tech R&D and sales & marketing and his second career as a licensed therapist, Marv was able to innovate a solution to address the hunger problem in Marin. His experience has enabled him to coach otherwise reluctant food suppliers and conduct group trainings on resolving food donation conflicts. He improved communication, planned a successful method of obtaining the fresh food and then a system of distribution through volunteers. Marv is answering a need that has gone unanswered long enough. The mission of extrafood.org is “Zero hunger, Zero waste in Marin by 2025.”
