Dave Koz
Presented with the 2024 Inspiration Award
Inspiration Award Background
The Inspiration Humanitarian Award is presented to someone who has demonstrated their ability to inspire & empower humanity through their humanitarian efforts. A person must use their talent, abilities and resources to help others in a significant way for more multiple years consistently.
Important factors considered in who this award is presented to include: consistency, impact, inspiration, empowerment, serving others, philanthropy, and perseverance.
Recipient Background
Dave Koz is a multi-Grammy-nominated saxophonist and a platinum-selling artist but he was presented with our 2024 Be Great! Inspiration Humanitarian Award for his extraordinary humanitarian efforts by uniting the Dave Koz Fan Network through the power of music & culture to raise over $2 million for hospitalized kids and serving as an ambassador for Starlight Children's Foundation.
Dave Koz has been deeply involved in humanitarian work, primarily through his long-standing association with the Starlight Children's Foundation. Here are the key aspects of his humanitarian efforts:
Starlight Children's Foundation
Dave Koz has served as a global ambassador for the Starlight Children's Foundation for over 30 years. This commitment has been a significant part of his philanthropic work, demonstrating his dedication to helping seriously ill children and their families.
Through his various initiatives, Koz has helped raise over $2 million for Starlight's mission to deliver happiness to hospitalized kids and their families. His fundraising efforts include:
- Dave Koz & Friends at Sea: Since 2011, the annual Dave Koz Cruise has featured an onboard silent auction that has raised nearly $1 million for Starlight.
- Dave Koz Christmas Tour: During his annual Christmas tour, Koz encourages fans to donate to Starlight, raising thousands of dollars each year to provide toys, books, games, and other holiday gifts to seriously ill children in hospitals.
- KOZ Wines: In 2009, Koz founded KOZ Wines and donates all his proceeds to the Starlight Children's Foundation. The wines are available at Whole Foods Markets, Amazon, and California Pizza Kitchen.
Recognition
In recognition of his humanitarian efforts, Dave Koz has received several notable awards:
- Starlight Children's Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023
- Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in 2023
In a recording career that spans nearly three decades, saxophonist Dave Koz has racked up an astoundingly impressive array of honors and achievements: nine GRAMMY® nominations, 11 No. 1 albums on Billboard’s Current Contemporary Jazz Albums chart, numerous world tours, 13 sold-out Dave Koz & Friends At Sea cruises, performances for multiple U.S. presidents, a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and appearances on a multitude of television shows, including “Good Morning America,” “The View,” “The Tonight Show,” “Entertainment Tonight” and more. A Platinum-selling artist, Koz is also known as a humanitarian, entrepreneur, radio host and instrumental music advocate.
2024 Award Recipients
AMECA
Innovation Award
Recognizing her unprecedented humanitarian-type efforts in raising awareness of robotics, bringing joy to others, and not serving a purpose to replace humans with jobs or tasks.
Dave Koz
Inspiration Award
Recognizing his extraordinary humanitarian efforts by uniting the Dave Koz Fan Network through the power of music & culture to raise over $2 million for hospitalized kids and serving as an ambassador for Starlight Children's Foundation.
Khloe Thompson
Rockstar Youth Award
Recognizing her amazing humanitarian efforts at a young age in serving homeless communities, empowering young women, and supporting underserved communities in Southern California & Ghana through her non-profit Khloe Kares.
Jeremy Locke
Icon Patriot Award
Recognizing his astounding humanitarian efforts leveraging his military expertise to save lives, combat human trafficking, produce disaster response solutions, and provide purpose-driven opportunities for veterans in areas that need it most through his non-profit Aeriel Recovery.
Dame Didi Wong
Social Impact Humanitarian Award
Recognizing her for her significant humanitarian efforts in education, women's empowerment, peace, human rights, and cultural exchange with the Minard-Wong Foundation.
Ethan Evans
Icon Humanitarian Award
Ethan Evans has dedicated a significant portion of his career to humanitarian work, focusing on war refugees, building schools and medical clinics in Uganda, the environment and climate change.
Adley Kinsman
Positive Influencer Award
Recognizing her incredible example of spreading positive content as a major social media influencer to millions of people internationally and a commitment to helping others in the digital content space.