The 2007 Ruth Stanton Community Grant Winner

We are proud to announce the 2007 winner of the Ruth Stanton Community Grant- Matthew Renzulli from Wayne Hills, NJ. Matthew was born into a family dedicated to volunteer service. His mother was one of ten children who learned to care for the needs of others including her handicapped sister. Matthew began volunteering at eight years old with the church and the community. His family volunteered for Habitat For Humanity, Special Olympics, food banks, soup kitchens, and at the County Developmental Center, visiting shut-ins. He has been an Altar Server for nine years and a Antioch Retreat Leader for the last four years. For the last two years he has been a Eucharistic minister and has dedicated every weekend for the last two years to this volunteer work. 

Matthew started a project where the community can drop off socks in various locations for the homeless. To date, he has collected over 24,000 socks for the homeless who come to Eva’s Village, another place where he volunteers. At fourteen years old he was asked to help the school children in the Caribbean Island of Tobago. He and other volunteers donated  20 lap top computers, a school Science lab and over 1000 books for the school library. For the last four summers he has spent 14 days in Tobago being a volunteer teacher’s assistant. This past summer they donated and built 2 new school playgrounds. Currently he volunteers at the battered woman shelter and family shelter. 

He is Chairperson and organizing  a fund raising effort for Eva's Village through his school’s National Honor Society. Matthew is well respected by his teachers, administration and peers. He has been Class President for the last four years, has served on the Student Council, has been a school Peer counselor and Freshman mentor, and is a member of the National Honor Society. He is also Editor -in -Chief of his school yearbook and founder of the Pay IT Forward Club in his high school. 

As far as awards, Matthew has earned the President’s Call To Service Award for  dedicating at least  4,000 hours of volunteer service, the Gold  President’s Volunteer Service Award,  the Bank Of America Student Leader Excellence Award, the Prudential Spirit Of the Community Award, the High School and District Award, the New Jersey Boys State Delegate Award, the Unico Service Above Self Humanitarian Award, Eva’s Village, Where Hope Begins Award, the Kohl's Kids Who Care Award, and the Creative Living Counseling Center Humanitarian Award. 

He is a semi-finalist in the Coca Cola Scholars Scholarship and received his high school's Principals Award. Congratulations to Matthew for his lifetime of community service and thank you for all you do for humanity.

Be sure to view our Photo Gallery for winners photos and more!