Carol Burton, executive director of Centerforce in northern and central California, was honored at the White House’s Champion of Change event in June.

Centerforce works to support, educate and advocate for individuals, families and communities impacted by incarceration. Burton is a national expert on children and families of the incarcerated who has developed curricula and media material and served as an adviser on several initiatives including Sesame Street Workshop’s newly released “Little Children, Big Challenges: Incarceration.”

Burton received the Champion of Change Award for her outstanding work on behalf of children of incarcerated parents. Her responsibilities at Centerforce include the operation of the nationally recognized M.O.M.S. program, a partnership with Oakland Housing Authority to provide stable housing and wraparound services for formerly incarcerated pregnant and parenting mothers and their children.

Centerforce offers a continuum of groundbreaking, evidence-based services from incarceration to re-entry, specializing in health education and HIV/Hepatitis C prevention.

Elizabeth J. Clark, former CEO of NASW, was awarded the George Goodman Brudney and Ruth P. Brudney Social Work Award at the Mental Health America’s annual conference in June.

The award honors those who have made significant contributions to the care and treatment of persons with mental illness. At the ceremony, it was noted that Clark led NASW — the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world — from 2001 to 2013.

She is a member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers and of the National Academies of Practice.

Clark also sits on the board of directors of C-Change, Collaborating to Conquer Cancer, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and the Foundation for Hospices in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Three lifelong social work leaders and Social Work Pioneers® left donations to NASW in their wills.

Jane Bierdeman-Fike (photo right) gave $100,000 unrestricted to the NASW Foundation.

Helen Rehr (photo center) gave $10,000 to the New York City Chapter through the NASW Foundation.

Golda Edinburg (photo leftt) gave $5,000 to the NASW Social Work Pioneers®.

For more information on donations, visit NASW Foundation: Gifts by Will or Trust

* Photo of Golda Edinburg by Brian Smith