Values-in-Action Foundation Honors Leadership From Across the U.S.

2025 Values Matter Honorees Recognized for Their Extraordinary Service

CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Over 400 Clevelanders will come together to celebrate the stories of this year’s 2025 Values Matter honorees as Values-in-Action recognizes leaders who put their values in action every day on Thursday, June 26, 2025, at Landerhaven (6111 Landerhaven Drive, Mayfield Heights, OH).

The evening will also highlight high school cheerleaders who made a 97-year-old woman’s dream come true and share how the kindness of others can make a difference in the eyes of today’s youth.

Together for an evening of inspiration and positivity, the 2025 honorees include national gun violence prevention advocate and healthcare leader, Michael Dowling (Northwell Health) along with Michele Benson & GBS Corp., Brent Ballard (Calfee), Paul & Lauren Hanna (Blue Technologies), Dr. Shelly Senders & Senders Pediatrics, and Scott DiMauro & the Ohio Education Association. While these individuals and organizations are surely deserving of recognition in their own respective fields, for this event, they all have one thing in common: their ability to achieve success while also being kind, caring, and respectful. Their example makes us all better and, because people copy what they see, their actions have the power to ignite a movement.

Values-in-Action and its Kindland initiative are committed to making kindness the dominant core value in our schools, communities, our state, and our nation — with Cleveland and Ohio leading the way. Now in its 31st year, Values-in-Action is a Cleveland-based, non-profit organization that empowers students and adults to build communities of kindness, caring and respect through programs that teach, promote, and provide skills and tools to enable individuals to make positive, values-based decisions every day. Since starting as Project Love in 1994, Values-in-Action has trained more than 2.2 million students in over 5,000 schools in all 50 states.

The words “Just Be Kind” have never been more timely or necessary. Our nation faces deep division and growing anger. While the number of mass shootings has declined slightly from the staggering high of over 600 in 2023, gun violence remains a pressing crisis. Though campus protests have quieted since the spring of 2024, teen mental health continues to deteriorate, and rates of suicidal ideation and teen suicide are at an all-time high. We need kindness now more than ever. Join us recognize the kindness of leaders in our community and inspire others to do the same.

For additional information about the event, the honorees, or Values-in-Action programming, call Amanda Guarnieri at 440.463.6205 or visit www.viafdn.org.