Stephen Plevins Honored With Martin Luther King Jr. Award

Stephen Plevins was honored by the Vineland African American Community Development Corporation (VAACDC) with a Martin Luther King Award in recognition for his contributions to his community and his successful work with children of all denominations.  The VAACDC, on behalf of the citizens of Cumberland County, honored Plevins as a "trailblazer and we salute his efforts to continue the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and the VAACDC."

Plevins graduated from Vineland High School as President of his class and performed undergraduate and graduate work at the University of Maryland.  He later did graduate work at the University of Northern Colorado, where he majored in Therapeutic Recreation, which emphasizes rehabilitation of youth through recreation and sports.

Plevins remained in Maryland where he was named a Community Recreation Director in Prince George's County.  The program was named Best Recreation Department in the country for its population size by the National Recreation and Park Association.  It also was honored by ESPN for having the most professional athletes in a county program.  Featured athletes included Sugar Ray Leonard, Adrian Bartley and Kevin Durant.

Plevins returned to Vineland and founded Broaden Your Horizons, an afterschool program recognized as best in the state by NJ Governor Christie Whitman.  The program later became the Boys and Girls Club of Vineland. He then became a Recreation Director at the Vineland Children's Residential Treatment Center, where residents took part in a community volunteer program honored by the Governor.

He also started a program for severely troubled youth and gang members, who worked with professional boxers -- including Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and George Foreman -- in the 1980s and 1990s in Atlantic City.  It became a a successful state-approved rehabilitation program, known for its participants' low recidivism rate.  Plevins was  named 2024 Man of the Year by the NJ State Boxing Hall of Fame for his contribution to youth and to boxing itself.

Over the years, he has received more than 100 major awards for his community contributions, including a Point of Light Award from President George W. Bush and a Lifetime Achievement Award from President Barack Obama.  In 2024, New Yorks' Marquis recognized Plevins in "Who's Who" for his distinguishing work with young people and community outreach.

In 2023, Plevins was honored before Congress for his enduring impact on the Vineland Community.  His numerous accolades celebrate his unwavering dedication to inner city and at-risk youth.