Kelly’s Angels board member honored with prestigious award

Board Vice President Jenny Sparano honored with Jefferson Award for public service

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY— Kelly's Angels Inc. is elated to announce that Kelly's Angels Vice President Jenny Sparano has been chosen as the Capital Region's 2023 recipient of the prestigious Jefferson Award for public service!

The Jefferson Award was founded in 1972 as a national awards platform focused on extraordinary achievement in public service. Jenny will be honored at a banquet and awards ceremony in New York City later this year.

Jenny, a Saratoga Springs mother of three, has volunteered with Kelly’s Angels since 2018 and joined the Board of Directors in 2020. She spearheaded Kelly's Angels’ recent development of Hugs for Ukraine, a program that provides financial aid to families of Ukrainian immigrants who fled their war-torn homeland in recent months, as well as The Up Beat, a podcast that highlights inspirational people from around the Capital Region.

She is also a key organizer of the annual Kelly's Angels Mother Lovin' 5k, which is scheduled for May 14, 2023 at Saratoga Spa State Park in Saratoga Springs.

“I am honored and humbled to be recognized with this award,” Jenny Sparano said. “My efforts are a direct reflection of the inspired mission of Kelly’s Angels, the dedication of a large network of volunteers and a generous community that makes everything we do possible.”

“Our small, all-volunteer charity has become a powerful movement of kindness and Jenny’s unwavering commitment to helping others is the reason for our success and growth,” said Kelly’s Angels founder and President, Mark Mulholland. “We’re helping more children and families than ever before and Jenny Sparano is a driving force behind everything we do.”

Jenny was nominated by fellow Kelly's Angels board member Mark Behan.

About Kelly’s Angels
Now in its 13th year, Kelly’s Angels has brought much-needed joy to hundreds of Capital Region children who have lost a parent or primary caregiver to cancer or other illness or event. Founded by NewsChannel 13 anchor/reporter Mark Mulholland in memory of his wife who passed away at the age of 37, Kelly’s Angels has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants and scholarships to Capital Region children and families. 

Kelly’s Angels gives Fun Grants to children who have lost a parent, primary caregiver, or sibling to cancer. The grants allow kids to buy something special or visit a place that makes them happy. Our “Angel Aid” helps families struggling with expenses related to life-threatening illness, and our “Angel Hugs” are a single, modest grant to remind a surviving parent that they are not alone. Kelly’s Angels also provides college scholarships to area students who have overcome adversity and shown a commitment to helping other children.

Kelly’s Angels, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit and all donations to the organization are tax-deductible under the guidelines of the Internal Revenue Service.