Taylor Pyles, Leadership in Philanthropy Award

The Leadership in Philanthropy Award is presented to an Anne Arundel County legislator or public servant whose leadership, support, and advocacy has made a positive impact in Anne Arundel County. Types of advocacy work honored in this category could include legislative action, systems change, civic engagement.

“Taylor inspires and empowers adults and youth alike through his dedication, leadership, and service. He gives hope and purpose to children and adults that have experienced trauma and a voice to those who feel powerless.”
—Carolyn Sabisch, volunteer, The Blue Ribbon Project 

As a victim of child abuse and unable to reunite with his biological family, Taylor Pyles was placed into foster care until he aged out. As a teen, Taylor saw fellow foster care teens slip into patterns of destruction. Not wanting to surrender to that type of life, he took it upon himself, instead, to help others. Now, as the founder of The Blue Ribbon Project (BRP), a nonprofit that supports victims of child abuse and neglect, youth in foster care, and adult survivors of child abuse, he serves as a light for all who are in the system, assuring them that they have not only an advocate, but also a friend.  

“Taylor has deliberately taken a life path of healing, not only for himself, but for victims and survivors of child abuse in Anne Arundel County,” said nominator Carolyn Sabisch, a BRP volunteer. “Taylor inspires and empowers adults and youth alike through his dedication, leadership, and service. He gives hope and purpose to children and adults that have experienced trauma and a voice to those who feel powerless.” 

In addition to founding BRP, Taylor is also an Annapolis Police Department Detective with the Criminal Investigations Division, an appointed member of the Maryland Children's Justice Act Committee, and a Court Appointed Child Advocate (CASA) volunteer. 

Taylor founded the organization as a website resource for adult survivors of abuse. Then, remembering the days when he was sent to a foster home with just the clothes on his back, he knew he needed to help in another way. At home, he started filling backpacks with gender and age-specific essentials such as toiletries, clothing, and books, and delivering them to children going into foster care. Now, these “Backpacks of Love” are just a small part of what the organization does for the community. BRP programs also include Aging Up…Not Out, a life-skills program designed for older foster kids; Mirah’s Closet, a place where foster children and parents can continue to receive essential items such as clothing; Foster Friends, which helps foster youth participate in extra-curricular activities; JobConnect; FosterLink; and other training programs. Since its inception, the organization has grown, covering not only Anne Arundel County (AAC) but also 11 other Maryland counties. 

“I find the work that Taylor does to serve youth in care endless and completely inspiring. He works a full-time job, runs a large non-profit, is a dad and a husband, and a CASA volunteer, yet, his call to serve youth in care always keeps him looking for more ways to serve,” said Katie Fitzsimmons, president, AAC Foster Parent Association. “He will never turn away from an opportunity to help a youth in need or raise awareness in our community about what we can do to help prevent child abuse and neglect. For many of our youth, who have had so many adults let them down in their lives, Taylor Pyles never will.”  

Watch the full video below.