When Sandra Barnhill saw loneliness and fear in the eyes of children whose moms were serving time in an Atlanta prison, she quietly got to work. In the early days she secured a van so the kids could visit their incarcerated moms. She established children's centers in Georgia’s prisons. 17 years and 10,000 youngsters later -- Barnhill is recognized as a resourceful leader who brings the power of positive change to the people who need it most.

Barnhill isn’t alone. Across the country, ordinary people are working across party lines and living extraordinary lives by rising above the cultural influences of negativity, cynicism and defeat. Every year, the Ford Foundation honors a select group of individuals who are making a difference one community at a time. From providing a center for Asian youth in inner city Oakland, to teaching sustainable development in Appalachia, to preserving the culture of a 200 year-old African-American settlement off the coast of Georgia, these talented people have ignored conventional wisdom and allowed passion to ignite their vision.

The result: inspired solutions to once insurmountable problems.