Actor Chris Evans to accept 2024 Spirit of Service Award on behalf of civic engagement platform A Starting Point

July 2, 2024

Award to be given as part of the Partnership for Public Service’s annual Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals® award ceremony

WASHINGTON – The nonpartisan, nonprofit Partnership for Public Service today announced that actor Chris Evans, filmmaker Mark Kassen and technology entrepreneur Joe Kiani will accept the 2024 Spirit of Service Award on behalf of A Starting Point, a video-based civic engagement platform they co-founded in 2020. This award recognizes individuals outside government whose work is critical to the goal of a better government and a stronger democracy.

The Spirit of Service award will be presented as part of the annual Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals^® awards ceremony on Sept. 11 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., an event honoring outstanding career federal employees for their achievements and contributions to the public good.

A Starting Point aims to create a more informed electorate and greater civic engagement by fostering communication and connectivity between elected officials and the public. Through presenting diverse views on key policy issues, hosting accessible and engaging online chats about government, and convening conversations with young people about today’s issues, A Starting Point helps to demystify government for the public, with a focus on high school and college students.

“Today, only about 7% of the federal workforce is under the age of 30, and trust in the federal government among young people is low. By connecting with young people, A Starting Point helps build a more civically engaged society, an effective government that looks like the people it serves, and, ultimately, a stronger democracy,” said Max Stier, president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service. “We’re honored to be able to recognize Chris Evans and his co-founders for their achievement in founding A Starting Point and supporting its important mission.”

Past Spirit of Service award honorees include former PBS NewsHour anchor Judy Woodruff; Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation; philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs, founder of Emerson Collective; Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella; former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg; and former Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.

“We are so proud of our talented team at A Starting Point and grateful to the Partnership for Public Service for recognizing their work,” said ASP co-founders Chris Evans, Mark Kassen, and Joe Kiani. “We created ASP to encourage civic engagement and make it accessible for everyone, so we are truly humbled for ASP to receive this recognition alongside so many incredible federal employees who share the same goal within the government.”

The Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals, often called the “Sammies” and considered the “Oscars of public service,” recognize outstanding achievements by career federal employees that make our nation safer, healthier, more equitable, and more prosperous. Since its founding in 2001, the Sammies have recognized more than 760 public servants for their work.

This year, 25 finalists were chosen from more than 500 nominations across five award categories, and the winners will be announced in September.

Learn more about the 2024 finalists as well as the past honorees, and vote in the People’s Choice contest, by visiting www.servicetoamericamedals.org.  

Sponsors for the 2024 Service to America Medals include National sponsors Tom and Andi Bernstein, David and Jennifer Millstone, SAIC and Standard Industries; and Capital sponsors Karan Bhatia, Google, Lockheed Martin and Microsoft.

During the past 22 years, the nonpartisan, nonprofit Partnership for Public Service has been dedicated to building a better government and a stronger democracy. We work across administrations to help transform the way government works by providing agencies with the data insights they need to succeed, developing effective leaders, inspiring the next generation to public service, facilitating smooth presidential transitions and recognizing exceptional federal employees. Visit ourpublicservice.org, follow us @PublicService and subscribe today to get the latest federal news, information on upcoming Partnership programs and events, and more.  

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