An Interview With Frank Brady on His Selection as a Purpose Prize Winner

Frank Brady was recently honored at an event in San Francisco as one of 15 winners of the first annual Purpose Prize, an award given to individuals over the age of 60 who are now making amazing philanthropic contributions in the United States. We had a chance to sit down with the Medical Missions for Children Chairman and ask him about his thoughts and experiences with the Purpose Prize.

Q. Frank, how does it feel to be one of 15 winners chosen out of an initial
pool of more than 1,500 philanthropists?

Frank Brady: "First, I have to say that I am extremely proud and honored to be included in such a select group of people doing so many great things. But I think it is truly a testament to the quality and scope of the work we do here at Medical Missions for Children that we were chosen as a winner in spite of the fact that only a small portion, maybe less than 10 percent of our work, was even eligible to be considered by the judges because the nature of the award was solely for domestic work."

Q. What was it like participating in the Purpose Prize Innovation Summit?
What were some of the highlights?

Frank Brady: "Number one, it was great being around so many like-minded individuals. While the programs that we were working on were vastly different, we all have a similar goal in that we want to better the situation of others. And I have to say that being able to visit with the other honorees and find out exactly what they are doing provides me with not only affirmation that we are doing the right things, but it also can plant the seeds for new ideas. It really is a win-win situation."

"It was great being around so many like-minded individuals. While the programs that we were working on were vastly different, we all have a similar goal in that we want to better the situation of others."
Frank Brady, Chairman of MMC

"Also, the programming that they put together for the Purpose Prize Fellows was outstanding. Specifically, they had one program on How to Effectively Tell Your Story that was just invaluable. Also, there was a program entitled Sticky Messages which basically gave pointers on how to craft your organizational messages in a way that people will definitely remember. These are the types of things that we can bring back and incorporate into our communications strategy that will only help us grow as an organization.

I have to say that in addition to the first-rate presenters, one of the most memorable things of the conference was getting the opportunity to meet actor, Sidney Poitier. He served as one of the judges for the Purpose Prize. Also, Purpose Prize sponsor Hewlett Packard awarded each of the honorees a complimentary HP Laptop. With my rigorous travel schedule, a new laptop will certainly come in handy. "

Q. What do you see as the biggest benefits that will come from being recognized
by the people at Civic Ventures?

Frank Brady: "Where to start? Well, I guess first and foremost, it’s always gratifying to be recognized for the work that you do. But beyond that, the notoriety Medical Missions for Children got from my being honored is something that we simply couldn’t put a price on. MMC has been featured in articles in national publications such as the USA Today and the New York Times, as well as local papers like The Record, the Star-Ledger, and the Herald News. We actually have a nice article coming out in the Delta Airlines in-flight magazine, which will be nice since it’s a captive audience.

Also, on a personal note, upon seeing an article in one of the national papers, my Uncle Steve, who is now 90, was able to reach out to me. My father came from a very large family, and after he passed away, we lost touch with Uncle Steve. Nobody in my family had heard anything from him in more than 20 years. In fact, we had assumed that he had also passed away. Thankfully, he had not, and when he read the article, he was able to have somebody contact me here at MMC. I’m happy to say that we have since reconnected. We actually went down to Pennsylvania to visit him not too long ago. I’m pretty sure I’m the only Purpose Prize winner who can say that my being honored actually brought somebody back from the dead."