Best Local Do-Gooder

Patience Salgado

kindnessgirl.com

Second Place: Kathi Sheffield (American Family Fitness)

Third Place: The Ukrop Family

Your doorbell rings. But when you open the door, you see no one — just a pint of fresh-picked strawberries on the mat. You just got ding-dong-ditched by Patience Salgado. Known by her Twitter handle, @kindnessgirl, for five years Salgado has been Richmond’s best-known advocate for guerrilla acts of kindness. Her latest project has Richmonders searching for magic wands across town to spur acts of kindness. What we love about Salgado, who’s also a mother of four and a birth photographer, is that she keeps it real. She doesn’t hold back her frustrations, but reminds us to look for — and create — moments of grace in everyday life. (She’s also a former recipient of our Top 40 Under 40 award.) Kathi Sheffield organizes community events for American Family Fitness West End, including the popular Jog a Dog runs to exercise dogs awaiting adoption through Bark. And while the Ukrops mostly have dropped out of the more public eye since selling their eponymous grocery store business, behind the scenes they stay involved, mentor entrepreneurs and make deals.

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