2013 David Chow Humanitarian Award Recipients

Alexis Hana Dugel

Alexis Hana Dugel

Alexis Hana Dugel believes that education is the surest path out of poverty. In 2013, she created Writekids, a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to promoting childhood literacy and encourages children to imagine, create and pursue their dreams. At the age of 12, she is a published author and, to date, her humanitarian efforts have benefited over 1,000 children throughout the world.

To learn more, please visit: http://www.writekids.org


Anne Lancaster

Anne Lancaster

Anne Lancaster, the creator and director of the nonprofit Mojave Desert Animal Rescue Inc., is a veterinary technician who has a passion for helping both people and animals. Living in the high desert, Anne helps the low-income, senior, sick, unemployed and homeless people keep their pets by providing food, leashes, emergency and veterinary care to their animals. She also teaches these individuals how to care for their pets on limited resources. These animals provide companionship, love and protection, especially to the homeless women and children.

To learn more, please visit: http://www.animalresq.org/


Diane Miller

Diane Miller

Diane Miller is a Legal and Public Policy Director for National Health Freedom Coalition, a 501(c)(3) education nonprofit organization. In this coalition, which she co-founded, she primarily does educational work, and trains, many people on how they can make an impact on the world. She promotes access to all health care information, services, treatments and products that the people deem beneficial for their own health and survival, promotes an understanding of the laws and factors impacting the right to access and promotes the health of the people of this nation. She is changing the health care system. But even more profoundly, she is changing the way we think about the health care system. Perhaps Diane’s greatest contribution is that she is training people to become leaders.

To learn more, please visit: http://www.nationalhealthfreedom.org/


Matt Blashaw

Matt Blashaw

Matt Blashaw is the creator and president of the nonprofit Build for Love Foundation. As a contractor, based in Orange County, California, Matt noticed that many children, who suffer from a disease or disability, cannot lead normal lives. Instead, they endure painful and expensive medical treatments that often leave their families with little money to invest in their child’s recovery.

Build for Love remodels the homes and bedrooms of these children with beautiful, fun and safe makeovers that lift their spirits and help them heal. The new floors, furniture, bedding, lighting, and murals are specifically designed for each child. Additionally, if needed, Build for Love builds for specific needs (i.e. wheel chair ramps, handicap accessible bathrooms, etc.).

To learn more, please visit: http://www.buildforlove.org


Stefan Falke

Stefan Falke

Stefan Falke work brings to light the humanitarian issues of immigration and human rights through his photographic coverage of artists on both sides of the Mexican American border/wall. Stefan’s ongoing project, La Frontera: Artists from the U.S. Mexican Border, examines the borderland’s flourishing arts communities with photographs of more than 170 painters, muralists, art promoters, museum directors and musicians.

To learn more, please visit: The LA FRONTERA project on Wired