Jordan Thomas receives Ellis Island Medal of Honor Award
Jordan was recently notified that he is a 2010 recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor Award, one of the nation's most prestigious awards as recognized by both Houses of Congress. This award recognizes Jordan as an outstanding American citizen who has distinguished himself within his own ethnic group and who has made a significant contribution to improve the landscape of life in this great country of ours. Past Medalists include Supreme Court justices, Nobel Prize winners, Presidents of the United States of America, athletes, entertainers, corporate giants, and individuals whose inspired service to others has touched their communities and changed lives. The awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 8th, at Ellis Island.
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Jordan Thomas featured speaker
at Mosaic 2010, held in Dubai.
Jordan Thomas was invited to be a keynote speaker at the Mosaic 2010 University Conference in Dubai. The title of the conference in "The Spirit of Caring" and was held on the premises of the Sharjah Higher Colleges of Technology in Sharjah's University City. He spoke on April 12, 2010, titled 'Prosthetics for a new life'. This year's conference featured well-known philanthropists, and gave a unity of purpose to what students are doing in and out of the classroom around the world. The conference was attended by leading members of the community, academics, students, and the media.
The conference was held under the patronage and in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Quassimi, Member of the Supreme Council and ruler of Sharjah, and in the presence of His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology.
There were six additional CNN Heroes, from 2009 and before, that also attended and spoke at this conference: http://shct.hct.ac.ae/sites/mosaic10.
Jordan was also covered in the local Dubai newspaper:
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The Mohamed Amin Award for Humanitarian Service
awarded to Jordan Thomas
This award, given by the Board of the Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists, was presented to Jordan Thomas in recognition as an outstanding physically disabled individual who has demonstrated the ability to significantly influence and promote the advancement of human welfare through their philanthropic, vocational, or avocational activities. Given in February, 2010, in Chicago, and accepted by JTF Board Member Jim Rogers, Jordan's nomination was made by John N. Billock, CPO. John is a former President of the Academy (1996), and while he was president, he established the Mohamed Amin Award for Humanitarian Service in memory of Mohamed Amin who was a former patient of his who had recently been killed in a hijacking incident on his way to Nairobi. You can see additional details here http://www.moforce.com and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohamed_Amin.
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Jordan Thomas speaks to
The United States Air Force Academy,
Center for Character and Leadership Development
in February, 2010.
Jordan was a featured speaker for the Air Force leadership conference attended by 7,000 cadets and Air Force officers in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The 17th annual conference was entitled, 'Guardians of Trust: Leadership in the Modern Era'. Jordan's session, entitled 'Press On', relayed his experience that initiated his creating his own foundation that assists children of traumatic injury and limb loss with the prostheses that they need to lead active lives. This was a great opportunity for Jordan to inspire and inform many future leaders of the next generation.
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DAR Awards given to Jordan Thomas
The Chickamauga Chapter of National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution recently honored Jordan with their prestigious Community Service Award for setting aside personal challenges to reach out and help other people. In addition to this local award, Jordan was also nominated and selected for the NSDAR national Mary Desha Medal for Youth Award. It is hoped that Jordan will be able to receive these awards in May when the DAR State Regent will be in town and presiding over the awards' ceremony.
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Jordan Thomas named
CNN Top Ten Hero of 2009
Jordan Thomas was named CNN's Top Ten Hero of 2009 for his work with helping children get the prostheses that they need to have happy, healthy normal lives. See the coverage of the event:
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes/archive09/jordan.thomas.html
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Jordan Thomas - CNN Hero of the Week.
Jordan Thomas named CNN Hero of the Week in 2009. See videos in link at top of home page.
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Jordan Thomas - 2009 National
Courage Center Recipient
Jordan recently received the call that he had been chosen to receive the National Courage Center 2009 Award in August in Minneapolis, Minnesota. What an honor! And to think that he was chosen over other nominees that included Michael J. Fox, Mohammad Ali, and Jennie McCarthy to name a few. Jordan was nominated by someone who met him at the AFP International Awards banquet where he received the 2009 Youth In Philanthropy Award. An added plus to this award is that the PGA Championship is being held nearby during the week before the awards presentation on August 15th, and Jordan will receive VIP ‘behind the ropes’ status at the event. We are grateful to this organization for recognizing Jordan and his efforts through his foundation to help children in need of prosthetics, and for the national attention this will bring not only to his foundation but also to the disabilities and prosthetics parity act being considered on the House floor which Jordan supports.
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Jordan Thomas CNN Hero Award Winner Special Event
Jordan was introduced on Larry King Live as a CNN Hero the last week in August. Jordan spoke live with Larry King on Thursday preceding the Hero coverage on Friday and Saturday. The CNN Hero coverage ran throughout the United States and the world, on CNN, CNN Headline, and CNN International, also airing in Spanish. Jordan was featured as a hero who took the accidental loss of his legs below the knee, and turned it into a great foundation to help other children receive the prosthetics that they need and can't afford. Click here to watch the CNN Heros Videos.
About Jordan...
Jordan, 20 and a junior at the College of Charleston at the time of the award, was chosen as a CNN Hero of the Week in September 2009 and was then selected as a Top Ten hero by a blue-ribbon panel that included Whoopi Goldberg and Elton John. Jordan’s foundation received a gift of $25,000 with this award. Jordan and his family traveled to Hollywood Thanksgiving week for a celebration event hosted by Anderson Cooper at the Kodak Theatre. The celebrity studded celebration for the Top Ten Heros was aired on Thanksgiving Day night, 2009, on CNN.
As a Top Ten Hero, the public voted on-line for the Top Hero of the Year. Jordan asked that Chattanoogans, Tennesseeans, and all his friends, family, and acquaintances vote for him at CNN.com/Heroes. Jordan was honored to be at the event and to be recognized nationwide for his work at the foundation.
Jordan started the Jordan Thomas Foundation at the age of 16 while still in the hospital recovering from the accidental loss of both legs below the knee. Jordan’s foundation provides prosthetics for children with limb loss and partners with them through their growth years until the age of 18. The average cost of one prosthetic leg is $10,000 and a prosthetic arm averages $15,000. The foundation estimates that it will need reserves of approximately $80-100,000 for each child. There are three recipients to date, and a fourth recipient is being considered. The foundation, through Jordan’s family and volunteers has raised over $400,000 to date. More information about Jordan, his foundation, and his recipients may be found on this website.
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