COLUMBUS, OH — On Thursday, September 10, 2026, the Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio (CDF-OH)—the local state branch of the prominent national child advocacy organization—will host its signature annual event, "A Celebration of Joy." Designed to honor dedicated Ohio changemakers, the gathering aims to uplift the local community while powerfully reflecting a collective spirit of hope, resilience, and unwavering action on behalf of the Buckeye State’s young people.
The event, playfully themed “A Hole in One for Hope,” will take place at the Scene75 Columbus entertainment center located at 5033 Tuttle Crossing Blvd. During the evening program, which runs from 5:45 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., CDF-OH will present its prestigious Advocate for Joy awards alongside the Samuel Halperin Youth Public Service Award. These honors are dedicated to recognizing three exceptional Ohio residents who have devoted significant portions of their lives, careers, and personal passions to advancing the health, safety, and overall well-being of children and youth throughout the state.
This year’s recipients represent a diverse cross-section of leadership, spanning legislative halls, early childhood advocacy networks, and grassroots youth organizing. Ohio State Representative Dontavius L. Jarrells and Vanessa J. Butler, JD, Senior Director of Community Relations and Special Projects at Groundwork Ohio, have both been named as recipients of the esteemed CDF-OH Advocate for Joy award. Meanwhile, the Samuel Halperin Youth Public Service Award will be presented to 22-year-old Cuyahoga Community College student Nezerae Hunt, hailing from Cleveland.
Legislative and Policy Champions Recognized for Impact
Representative Dontavius L. Jarrells enters this recognition following a robust tenure serving three terms in the Ohio House of Representatives. Representing House District 1, which encompasses Bexley and several vital neighborhoods across Columbus, Jarrells has established a strong legislative footprint centered on equity, child protection, and community welfare.
During his time at the statehouse, Jarrells notably co-sponsored the bipartisan Fostering School Success Act. The legislation, which recently successfully passed through the Ohio House, is structurally designed to strengthen educational stability for children and youth navigating the foster care system, break down systemic bureaucratic silos, and ensure they receive the comprehensive support necessary to thrive academically and personally.
Beyond his legislative work in education, Jarrells has personal ties to public health advocacy that have driven his policy initiatives. He previously helped spearhead critical changes to Ohio law aimed at addressing the prohibitive costs associated with replacing lead-contaminated water service lines. Driven in part by his own childhood experiences, these legislative efforts seek to ensure that vulnerable children and young families across the state do not fall victim to lead poisoning, safeguarding public health infrastructure for future generations.
Advancing Early Learning and Community Support
Co-recipient Vanessa J. Butler brings a deeply rooted commitment to early childhood advocacy and youth empowerment to her recognition as an Advocate for Joy. In her current role as Senior Director of Community Relations and Special Projects at Groundwork Ohio, Butler works tirelessly to advance the organization’s core mission: championing high-quality early learning and healthy development strategies for children spanning the prenatal period up to age five.
Butler’s career is marked by a history of impactful leadership roles in the nonprofit and advocacy sectors. Previously serving as the president and CEO of The Center for Healthy Families, she helped guide and nurture major community initiatives that directly benefited local youth. Among these is the prominent Day of the Girl event, a significant regional gathering that convenes nearly 500 girls, young women, and gender-expansive youth across Central Ohio. The initiative provides a celebrated platform for participants to engage in critical, empowering dialogues surrounding mental health, social justice, and educational equity.
Centering Youth Voices Through Grassroots Leadership
While established leaders like Jarrells and Butler are being honored for their institutional and policy achievements, the event also shines a bright light on the next generation of changemakers. The Samuel Halperin Youth Public Service Award will be presented to Nezerae Hunt, a 22-year-old student at Cuyahoga Community College based in Cleveland.
Hunt serves as the inaugural president of The Cleveland Freedom Project, a dynamic, youth-led nonprofit organization specifically dedicated to cultivating disruptors, dreamers, and active drivers of social and economic justice. Under her visionary leadership, the organization has consistently centered authentic youth voices in broader civic conversations concerning equity, mental health awareness, and leadership development. By establishing empowering spaces throughout the community, Hunt has encouraged young people not merely to participate in community discussions, but to step forward and assume direct leadership roles.
A Night of Shared Commitment and Celebration
The celebratory evening will feature formal remarks delivered by the leader of the organization, CDF-OH State Director Dr. John Stanford, alongside engaging artistic and cultural performances put on by talented young people hailing from Central Ohio.
Reflecting on the significance of the honorees and the broader mission of the organization, Dr. Stanford emphasized the vital contributions being made by advocates across the state. "Countless Ohioans dedicate themselves to advancing the well-being of all children and young people in our state," Dr. Stanford stated. "We take this time to recognize a select group of these champions to highlight the importance of their work and renew our shared commitment to ensuring every young person in Ohio thrives."
As CDF-OH gathers community members, advocates, and leaders at Scene75 Columbus on Thursday evening, the organization continues its long-standing tradition of uplifting those who champion the rights, health, and futures of Ohio’s youth, reinforcing a message of hope and collective action for the state’s communities.
