TramutoPorter Foundation Announces 2025 Compassionate Leadership Awards and Scholarships

Nearly $200,000 in Global Grants and Scholarships to Be Presented During National Compassionate Leadership Week, September 8–14, 2025

OGUNQUIT, Maine, July 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The TramutoPorter Foundation, a nonprofit founded by philanthropist and author Donato Tramuto and business leader Jeffrey Porter, today announced its 2025 Compassionate Leadership Awards and Scholarships, highlighting eight global grant recipients and four college-bound students who exemplify courage, empathy and impact in their communities.

2025 Compassionate Leadership Award Recipients
Established in 2023, the Compassionate Leadership Award recognizes organizations that demonstrate leadership through compassion and kindness—delivering results in business, education, health care, policy, and community impact. Out of 73 international applicants, eight organizations were selected through a competitive, months-long evaluation process to receive awards ranging from $5,000 to $50,000. The foundation had originally planned to honor five organizations but expanded to eight due to the exceptional quality of submissions.

• Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Italia (Florence, Italy)
  Multi-program support will fund an after-school program, an anti-bullying initiative, a human rights education event in Naples, and the joint RFKI/TPF Compassionate Leadership Award presentation in November.
• Associazione Davide Orecchioni (Italy)
  Recognized for transforming personal tragedy into lasting impact, the organization fosters civic engagement and youth opportunity in the Abruzzo region.
• Camp Sunshine (Casco, Maine)
  Funding once again “TramutoPorter: Hearing Loss Session at Camp Sunshine” (Aug. 18–22) for families of children with hearing loss due to a life-threatening illness or treatment of a life-threatening illness. The foundation will also sponsor a lobster/clambake on Aug. 21.
• Don Bosco Makululu Foundation (Zambia)
  Supports shelter, rehabilitation and education programs for abandoned and addicted children in Zambia, led by Father Peter Gozdalski.
• Elias Sadik (Florence, Italy)
  A three-year high school scholarship awarded to support Elias’s secondary education, reflecting the foundation’s commitment to fostering compassionate leadership from a young age.
• Mind Body Research Group – Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Boston, U.S.)
  Led by Dr. Michael Donnino, the group advances research in compassionate, mind-body approaches to medicine and patient care.
• Un Gancio al Parkinson (Florence, Italy)
  Founded by Dr. Maurizio Bertoni, the organization uses non-contact boxing to support Parkinson’s patients and conducts research to share outcomes with the global medical community.
• Women2Women (Florence, Italy)
  Funding the launch of a Florence-based program to empower young women leaders. The initiative will utilize the Robert F. Kennedy International Home.
  
  

“These organizations are shining examples of what it looks like to lead with heart, to serve with empathy and to drive change through compassion,” said Donato Tramuto, co-founder and chairman of the TramutoPorter Foundation. “We’re proud to walk alongside these leaders in building a kinder, more just world.”

2025 Compassionate Leadership Scholarships
The foundation also awarded four-year college scholarships to four exceptional high school graduates—three from Maine, where both co-founders have long-standing personal and philanthropic ties, and one from Italy. Additionally, the Foundation granted scholarships to students from Regis College, Jefferson School of Population Health, Boston University School of Public Health and St. Joseph’s College in Standish, Maine. Each scholar is paired with a member of the TramutoPorter Foundation board of directors for mentorship throughout college, helping students build the connections needed to achieve their long-term goals.

This marks the 24th consecutive year the foundation has awarded scholarships to students from Maine. In 2026, the foundation will celebrate its 25th anniversary, marking a quarter-century of investing in education, equity and opportunity.

• Alana Danielle Johnson – Wells High School
  Will study journalism at the University of Maine at Orono.
• Oliver Alton Turner – Bangor High School
  Will pursue a degree in physical therapy at Husson University.
• Seamus MacDonald – Bangor High School
  Will begin a pre-medical program.
• Maria Pia Penasa – Collegio Ghislieri, Pavia, Italy
  Recipient of the foundation’s first international scholarship.
  
  

“This year’s scholarship recipients remind us that the seeds of compassionate leadership are often planted early in life,” said Jeffrey Porter, co-founder and president of the foundation. “From our home state of Maine to Italy, we are investing in young people who have already demonstrated the character, conviction and empathy to lead.”

About National Compassionate Leadership Week (Sept. 8–14, 2025)
National Compassionate Leadership Week celebrates individuals and organizations who lead with empathy, purpose and a commitment to making a meaningful difference. Held annually during the second week of September, the week spotlights the proven power of compassion in action—showing that kindness and performance are not mutually exclusive. Compassionate leadership has been shown to drive stronger outcomes in business, education, health care, government and community life.

The designation was awarded to the TramutoPorter Foundation in 2022 by National Day Calendar®, honoring the foundation’s two-decade commitment to advancing equity, inclusion and impact through compassionate leadership. Now observed globally, the week serves as a rallying point to inspire current and future leaders to lead with heart—because compassion isn’t just good ethics; it’s good strategy.

As part of this year’s Compassionate Leadership Week, the foundation will announce an all-new program launching this September, designed to further its mission of cultivating global leaders grounded in empathy and equity.

About the TramutoPorter Foundation
Since 2001, the TramutoPorter Foundation and its subsidiary program, Health eVillages, have helped people across the globe realize a brighter future through student scholarships, access to health care and financial support for organizations that share its vision. The foundation has built partnerships that create sustainable and measurable impact in making the world a more compassionate and kind place. For more information, visit www.tramutofoundation.com.

Media Contact:
Robin Shallow
TramutoPorter Foundation
robin@robincomm.com

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