About
the Russ Berrie Making a Difference Award
The Russ Berrie Making a Difference Award is a signature program of the Russell Berrie Foundation, which carries out Russ Berrie’s legacy and philanthropy by continuing to recognize New Jerseyans who are creating positive change in their communities. The Russ Berrie Making a Difference Award is managed by Ramapo College of New Jersey.
430 Honorees
Since 1997, a total of 419 of New Jersey’s most dedicated citizens have been honored with this prestigious award.
21 Counties
Honorees from each of New Jersey’s 21 counties have been recognized.
$4.2 Million
These individuals have received more than $4.2 million in cash awards in recognition of the personal sacrifices and commitment they’ve made to serve others.
The Russ Berrie Making a Difference Award is a signature program of the Russell Berrie Foundation, which carries out Russ Berrie’s legacy and philanthropy by continuing to recognize New Jerseyans who are creating positive change in their communities. The Russ Berrie Making a Difference Award is managed by Ramapo College of New Jersey.
Hear Angelica Berrie and Scott Berrie talk about the Legacy of the Making a Difference Award on StoryCorps
Angelica Berrie and Scott Berrie remember Angelica’s husband and Scott’s father, philanthropist Russell Berrie, whose foundation has honored more than 400 individuals since 1997 for making an impact in communities around New Jersey through the Russ Berrie Making a Difference Award.
AboutRuss Berrie
Russell Berrie founded the Russ Berrie and Company, Inc. (RUSS), a New Jersey-based company, in 1963. Until his death in 2002, Mr. Berrie served as chairman and chief executive officer. RUSS and its wholly owned subsidiaries design, develop, and distribute gift, home decor, and infant and juvenile products through retail outlets worldwide.
Mr. Berrie devoted endless time, energy, and resources to numerous charitable causes through The Russell Berrie Foundation, created in 1985. As a philanthropist, he supported hundreds of organizations and fostered initiatives that expressed his values, passions, and vision in the areas of diabetes, humanism in medicine, Jewish continuity, salesmanship as a profession, arts and culture, honoring New Jersey’s unsung heroes. and strengthening communities in northern New Jersey.
About theRussell Berrie Foundation
Through social investments that express Mr. Berrie’s values and keen personal interests, the Russell Berrie Foundation continues to proactively identify and support dynamic leaders with the passion, energy, and commitment behind programs that fulfill the broad vision of its founder: improving the well-being of society. The Making a Difference Award is one expression of Russ Berrie’s vision for a better world.
The Russell Berrie Foundation Values Statement for the Making a Difference Awards:
The Russ Berrie Making a Difference Awards have always reflected the best of New Jersey and the individual’s ability to make a difference in the lives of others. The Russell Berrie Foundation is exceedingly proud of the legacy of the awards and the network of honorees who have continued to contribute to the well-being of their communities and the broader society at large.
We are living in highly politicized times, with groups and communities often pitted against one another through words and/or actions. This divisive climate compels The Russell Berrie Foundation to articulate its core values, which include promoting pluralism and the responsibility to build bridges across difference. We are opposed to discrimination, bigotry, and hate and appreciate that the Making a Difference community aligns with and manifests these values.
In order to sustain these values, the individuals and organizations receiving Foundation support through the MADA awards must not promote or tolerate hate, antisemitism, or racism or discriminate based on race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, ancestry, citizenship, or veteran status. We believe that the denial of individual or group identity, justification or glorification of terrorism or violence, and calls for genocide and other expressions of hate do not represent the leadership values, community-building spirit, and purpose of the Russ Berrie Making a Difference Awards. By affirming these principles, the diverse communities of New Jersey can stand together against the polarization that is ripping apart the fabric of American life.
AboutRamapo College
Ramapo College of New Jersey is the state’s premier public liberal arts college and is committed to academic excellence through interdisciplinary and experiential learning, and international and intercultural understanding. The comprehensive college is situated among the beautiful Ramapo Mountains, is within commuting distance to New York City, was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful College Campuses in America by CondeNast Traveler, and boasts the best on-campus housing in New Jersey per Niche.com.
The College is ranked #1 among New Jersey public institutions by College Choice; is recognized as the state’s top college on the list of Best Disability Schools by Great Value Colleges; is designated a “Military Friendly College” in Victoria Media’s Guide to Military Friendly Schools; and is recognized as a top college by U.S. News & World Report, Kiplinger’s, Princeton Review and Money magazine, among others.
