T/MC Awards and Recognition

The Tutor/Mentor Connection has been recognized in numerous media stories since 1993 and its leader, Dan Bassill, has been recognized in many ways. On this page we'll share some of this recognition with you.

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Jan. 2008 - selected as one of six charities in world to receive  year end donation from HSBC International

Jan 2007 - June 2008 - Calendar of High Quality Complementary Learning Activities for Afterschool Programs includes Cabrini Connections - Published by Learning Point Associates

July 2006 - Youth Today feature titled, "After School Programs Learn to Tutor" - http://www.youthtoday.org/youthtoday/JulyAug06/sampler.html

April 2006 - Cabrini Connections student alumni receives Associated College of Illinois Award -
Daniel Sherrod honored with ACI award - http://www2.iwu.edu/newsrelease06/news_SherrodACI_0506.shtml

August 2005 - Cabrini Connections featured on ABC News Chicagoing -
ABC Chicago, Aug. 13, 2005 -Cabrini Connections: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=ontv&id=3371829

December. 2004 - - Cabrini Connections receives 2004 Thomas A. Demetrio Lend A Hand Award, given annually to recognize an outstanding volunteer-based tutor/mentor program in Chicago. Learn more at http://www.lawyerslendahand.net

Sept. 2004 - - From The Institute for Social Inventions / the Global Ideas Bank
[part of the Nicholas Albery Foundation - http://www.alberyfoundation.org] 6 Blackstock Mews, Blackstock Road, London N4 2BT, UK

Following is text of the notification sent to the T/MC:  This is an e-mail to let you know that your idea (for computer mapping to effectively distribute charitable services) not only made it into this year's Global Ideas Book (http://www.globalideasbank.org/site/store/detail.php?articleId=114) but was also one of 18 nominees for our annual Social Innovation Awards. Though it did not win one of the 6 awards (see more details here: http://www.globalideasbank.org/site/news/index.php?articleId=116), this is a great achievement in itself. It also gets you an invite to our event on November 2nd to celebrate the award-winners, the book and social invention in general.

Your idea/project has been included in our new compendium of ideas, the 300 page 'The Global Ideas Book' which the Institute for Social Inventions sends out annually to its members and subscribers, and sells online. The book features summaries of all the most imaginative, interesting and potentially transformative ideas and schemes for improving the quality of life that have been notified to the Institute by its network of members and correspondents around the world during the previous 12 months.

Since Cabrini Connections and the Tutor/Mentor Connection were formed in 1992, the organization and its founder/CEO, Daniel F.  Bassill have been recognized with numerous awards and has been interviewed in dozens of print, TV, radio and Internet media stories.  These include:

•     2004 Shining Examples of Liberal Arts Leadership by the Associated Colleges of Illinois

•     Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa degree from Illinois Wesleyan University on Sept. 5, 2001

•     Appointed by Governor George Ryan of Illinois to serve as a Commissioner on the Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service beginning September 2001; reappointed in 2007

•     Publisher’s Clearing House 1999 Good as Gold Award received on Dec. 31, 1999 in a nationally  televised segment of Montel Williams TV show

•     Bassill served as one of ten Chicago delegates  for the 1997 Presidents' Summit For America's Future

•     Selected as a Giraffe in 1997, for consistently sticking neck out to help others, by the Giraffe Foundation.  Two Giraffes have won Nobel Prizes.

•     100 Big Hearts for Young Heroes, from LaRabida Hospital, presented June 27, 1996
 

•     Prime Mover Award - Garland C. Guice Grant Recipient, from The Target Group, June 13, 1996
 

•     MidAmerica Leadership Foundation "Resourcing Leadership Award", presented in April 1996
 

•     David Kellum Award, presented in February 1996 by the Baha'i House of Worship, to Cabrini Connections
 

•     Acacia National Fraternity Award of Merit, to Dan Bassill, October 1994
 

•     Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Community Service Award, to Dan Bassill, March 1989
 

•     Chicago Volunteer Action Center Heart of Gold Award, presented in April of 1987, to Dan Bassill for volunteer service
 

•     Voluntary Action  Award, presented by Voluntary Action Center, April 30 , 1982.  Recognition as one of 10 outstanding volunteer organizations in the Chicago Area.
 

•     Chicago Sun Times Thomas Jefferson Award , presented in March of 1982, to Dan Bassill for volunteer service