Tom and Daisy Hancock Byrd - January 2020

Helping children has been a lifelong commitment for Tom and Daisy Hancock (’79) Byrd. Both serve as one-on-one mentors in Chesterfield County Schools, while Daisy volunteers with CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) providing a voice for children in cases of child abuse and neglect. Tom was a founder of Greater Richmond Fit4Kids, working with the public schools to promote physical activity and healthy eating. Recognizing that improving lives goes beyond volunteering and random acts of charity, they have established the Byrd Community Fellows Scholarship. Recipients are paired with local nonprofit agencies, building on JMU’s acclaimed Community Service-Learning program to help real people in real time and to teach these values and skills to JMU students who will put them into action for a lifetime.