because of her insight, commitment and vision. Emma Mae Vilardi Humanitarian Award Since her passing in 1990, the American Adoption Congress has honored her life and commitment to the adoption community with the Emma May Vilardi Humanitarian Award. The award is distributed annually at the American Adoption Congress International Conference. In 2007, upon the passing of Vilardi's husband, Tony, the award was renamed the Vilardi Award to honor both of them. References 1922 births 1990 deaths Writers from Kansas City, Missouri 20th-century American women writers Adoption in the United States