Former Burlington City Councilor Jack Hanson has received a $75,000 Young Leaders Award from the Walking Softer foundation in support of his work as executive director of the nonprofit Run On Climate.
Hanson, 30, launched Run On Climate in 2021 along with co-founders Carter Neubieser, now a Burlington City Councilor himself, and Sarah Sciortino, an environmental and labor organizer. The organization's mission is to accelerate cutting-edge climate policy at the local level in communities across the country by supporting candidates, collaborating with elected leaders and expanding the influence of climate justice advocates.
Hanson believes Run On Climate is on the cusp of major growth, especially given this recent award. “The support, financially and otherwise, that Walking Softer is giving us is game-changing,” he said. “We’re already using it to level Run On Climate up, and I’m confident that we can expand and deepen our work much further in 2025 and beyond.”