Bernett L. Williams walks the red carpet at the Soul of Philanthropy Akron awards. Photo credit McCoy Multimedia
On Friday, Nov. 14, Bernett L. Williams, chief engagement officer, received the “Impact Philanthropist” distinction at the inaugural Soul of Philanthropy Akron Awards. Eight local philanthropists were recognized at the awards, ranging from youth to memorial philanthropist. The “Impact Philanthropist” award “recognizes an outstanding individual whose acts in the community have transformed their space of influence.”
“I see this award as an acknowledgement that giving back can happen in lots of different ways,” Bernett said. “It could be financial, it could be giving of time, it could be giving of talent — and that means a great deal to me.”
While giving back comes naturally to Bernett, being publicly recognized for it is a different matter.
“To me, it should be something that’s more from the heart. Oftentimes, for me, it’s very personal,” Bernett shared.
Bernett supports many organizations both personally and professionally in her role at Akron Children’s. “My work at Akron Children’s allows me to be exposed to some causes and organizations that I may not have interacted with otherwise,” she said. “But I think the biggest way that Akron Children’s influences me as it relates to philanthropy is the fact that the hospital supports our leaders in being engaged in the communities that we live in and that we serve in.”
Bernett with her Akron Children’s team. Pictured left to right: Dr. Jennifer Ross, Bernett L. Williams, Tiffany Gray and Heather Wuensch. Photo credit McCoy Multimedia
Through the years, Bernett has served on the board of the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, built houses with Habitat for Humanity, raised money for the National Inventors Hall of Fame School and spearheaded a luggage donation drive to benefit Summit County Children Services.
Bernett hopes the Soul of Philanthropy Akron awards and accompanying exhibit will encourage people to give back to the community, however they can. “Philanthropy doesn’t have to be large amounts of money, or money at all,” she said. “Particularly for our young people, there are so many other things you can do.”
The Soul of Philanthropy exhibit at the Akron Art Museum. Photo credit McCoy Multimedia
The awards coincide with The Soul of Philanthropy national touring exhibit, an artistic exploration of the history and stories of Black philanthropy, currently at the Akron Art Museum through February 2026.
