Mission

To inspire Michigan’s youth to see possibilities through the real-world examples of Everyday Heroes.

Purpose

At a time when society has lost sight of its real heroes and material things have replaced character as the currency for measuring success, RARE celebrates the lives and life lessons of everyday people in the workplace who through extraordinary commitment, integrity, selflessness and courage are changing lives and inspiring others.

RARE provides a forum for students to write about Everyday Heroes in their communities to help them see possibilities and make the connection to fulfilling careers and meaningful lives.

Michigan high school seniors in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Monroe, Washtenaw, St. Clair or Livingston are awarded $2,000 scholarships, and the heroes they write about are honored annually at our Night of Heroes event.

History

Gil Cox, Jr. a prominent Troy attorney and founder of the law firm Cox, Hodgman and Giarmarco, established the RARE Foundation in 1998 for the purpose of recognizing everyday heroes in the workplace. It was his belief that ordinary people perform heroic deeds in their jobs everyday that go largely unnoticed. Since then, RARE has recognized more than 50 deserving individuals throughout Michigan with its annual Everyday Hero Award. Although retired from the practice of law, Mr. Cox still serves on RARE’s Board as well as on several other corporate boards. In 2009, Gil took the steps to merge RARE with Winning Futures to continue the great work of the Everyday Hero Program.