Yao Ming honored the 2014 Tribute Award for his foundation

Retired professional basketball player Yao Ming has been given the 2014 Tribute Award by Points of Light, a non-profitable global volunteer organization created by former US President George H.W. Bush.

The Awards Gala was held at the Chinese Embassy in Washington D.C..

“Basketball is what he is famous for.”

Chinese American Emmy-winning television host and fashion icon Yue-Sai Kan, better known as Jin Yuxi in China, is introducing one of the four honorees of this year’s Points of Light Tribute Awards.

“But Yao Ming says that basketball is only part of his life. There are other goals to seek. He understands that being good is commendable but doing good is more important.”

The charity has honored Yao Ming for the efforts his foundation, named YAO FOUNDATION, to improve the lives of children in China, especially on providing educational opportunities.

Yao Foundation was founded in 2008,just after the Wenchuan Earthquake.The starting fund was from the Yao-Nash charity banquet in 2007，where Yao donated 2million RMB on .The Foundation dedicated to rural education and PE in school particularly.

Yao was not on hand to pick up the award in person, but his close friend, former NBA teammate Dikembe Mutombo, received it for him.

Other honorees at this year’s Points of Light Tribute Awards included computer company Hewlett-Packard for the more than 1.6 million volunteer hours its employees logged worldwide in 2013; environmentalist Charles Orgbon, who dedicates his time to creating a diverse global environmental movement powered by young people; and World Central Kitchen, a humanitarian organization that feeds and empowers vulnerable people around the world.

Points of Light is now the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service. Through affiliates in 250 cities in 30 countries, it engages more than 4 million volunteers in 30 million hours of service each year.

According to Neil Bush, chair of Points of Light, the event at the Chinese Embassy in Washington is a tribute to his father, the former US President. Neil Bush delivered a message from his father.

“It brings me joy that volunteerism is on the rise and organizations throughout China that react to natural disasters, help with rural education, work with the elderly and do countless other good works. The event you’re hosting tonight captures that spirit of working together to lead this world a better and safer place for generations that will follow.”

Chinese Ambassador Cui Tiankai also attended the Awards Gala. He says volunteering in China has been growing by leaps and bounds over the past two decades. There are now more than 40 million trained and registered young volunteers in China, and they provided 690 million hours of volunteer services last year.

“As China carries on with its economic and social development, it is crucial for us to develop a well functioning volunteer network to mobilize people to serve. This will not only provide services to those in need, but also will make the overall economic and social development fairer, more balanced and more people-centered.”

Along with the event, an online auction is also open for bidding to help support the nonprofit organization, Points of Light. The auction items include several items from President George H.W. Bush’s private collection and dinner with Yue-Sai Kan, or meeting with world renowned Chinese pianist Lang Lang.