GUS RUELAS/REUTERS
Boston’s Ben Affleck was at the Do Something Awards in Santa Monica, Calif., Sunday night to pick up an honor for his work with the Eastern Congo Initiative and to present the night’s Do Something Grand Prize to Katia Gomez, a 24-year-old who started Education2Envision, an organization that helps young people in Honduras continue their education. By winning the Do Something prize, Gomez (right, with Affleck) earned herself $100,000 for her work — and a nice big hug from Affleck. Other local celebs who were commended during the night for their activism and charity work included Burlington’s Amy Poehler, who’s helped the Worldwide Orphan Foundation; Matt Damon, who spreads the word about sanitation problems through his organization Water.org; and Mark Wahlberg, who’s been the spokesperson for Dignity U Wear, an organization that gets new clothes to veterans, women, and children in need. (Wahlberg also runs the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation, which helps city kids.)
