Philadelphia, PA - Oct. 2, 2026
Second place at the 2026 Vanguard Charity Awards
A Glass of Water took second place. Shriners Children's Philadelphia took first. The annual black-tie gala is the benchmark for charitable impact and innovation in the Mid-Atlantic. It was held the night of October 1, 2026, in the Grand Ballroom of the Bellevue Hotel, and it honored up-and-coming charitable initiatives.
The honors
First place
Shriners Children's Philadelphia
Highly specialized pediatric care in orthopedics, spine care, spinal cord injury rehabilitation, and neuromuscular conditions, regardless of a family's ability to pay.
Second place
A Glass of Water
aglassofwater.org, recognized for clean water work, a 100% model, and donor tracking of GPS coordinates, community demographics, and flow rate.
What the committee cited
A Glass of Water is a non-profit clean water initiative. It uses localized engineering, keeps strict financial transparency, and partners with rural communities to build lasting clean water infrastructure. The mission is that no human being is forced to drink unsafe water. Over the past twelve months, A Glass of Water completed more than fifty new sustainable well and filtration projects in historically underserved regions.
The 100% model sends all public donations directly to water projects. Donors can see the exact GPS coordinates, community demographics, and flow-rate data of the wells they funded.
Water is not a privilege; it is the fundamental baseline of human existence. When we provide a community with a reliable source of clean water, we aren't just quenching thirst. We are keeping girls in school. We are drastically reducing infant mortality. We are giving communities the foundation they need to build their own futures. Taking second place tonight, in a room filled with such incredible changemakers, validates the thousands of hours our volunteers and engineers have spent in the field this year.
Elena Rostova, Director of Global Operations, acceptance speech
First place
Dr. Scott H. Kozin, the hospital's former Chief of Staff, was elevated earlier in 2026 to system-wide Chief Medical Officer for Shriners Children's. Dr. Amer F. Samdani, Chief of Staff and Chief of Surgery, accepted the award. He is a pediatric neurosurgeon, has published more than 250 peer-reviewed articles, and serves on the executive committee of the Harms Study Group. He spoke to the hospital's umbrella of care model.
This award is a testament to every nurse, therapist, physician, and orthotics specialist who walks through our doors with one singular goal: to change a child's life. At Shriners Children's Philadelphia, our tripartite mission of patient care, education, and research allows us to tackle everything from the most common orthopedic conditions to the most complex spinal deformities. But the most important thing we offer our families is the promise that we will be by their side, every step of the way, regardless of their ability to pay. That is the true heart of medicine.
Dr. Amer F. Samdani, Chief of Staff and Chief of Surgery
The selection committee, made up of local executives and medical professionals, noted the Motion Analysis Center guided by Interim Administrator Mario Salvati. The center uses Hollywood-style motion capture to record how a child moves, then turns that record into a treatment plan.
The evening
Mayor Cherelle Parker, the 100th Mayor of Philadelphia, gave the keynote in the Bellevue's French Renaissance ballroom. Feast Your Eyes Catering, a Philadelphia caterer with forty years in the city, served passed hors d'oeuvres with Pennsylvania artisan cheeses and slow-braised short rib with winter root vegetable purée.
Philadelphia has always been a city defined by its grit, but tonight, we are defined by our grace. The organizations we honor this evening do not just offer temporary relief; they offer structural, life-altering change. They remind us that whether we are providing world-class medical care right here on North Broad Street or ensuring a child across the globe has access to clean drinking water, the work of uplifting humanity is a shared, sacred duty.
Mayor Cherelle Parker
A silent auction raised $450,000, split equally between the two honored charities. The lots were a private suite at a Philadelphia Eagles game, a behind-the-scenes culinary tour of the Italian Market, and a private dinner prepared by the executive chefs at Feast Your Eyes Catering.
Press contact
Eleanor Vance, Director of Communications, The Vanguard Philanthropy Group. Phone (215) 555-0198. Email evance@vanguardphilanthropy.org.
Questions for A Glass of Water go to contact@aglassofwater.org.