Thank you for celebrating 25 years of recognizing nonprofits with us!

Thank you to everyone who attended the 25th Anual Heart of Marin Awards yesterday — Thursday, January 11th, 2018. Once again, we were inspired by all of the 2017 nominees and the winers. From our heart to yours: thank you, nonprofits, for the extraordinary work you do to make our communities healthier, happier, and more equitable. It has been an honor celebrating the work that you do for the past 25 years! Click here to browse event-day photos. 

CVNL Heart of Marin in the News…

CVNL Event Press Release Marin Independent Journal coverage

And the 2017 recipients are…

Achievement in Nonprofit Excellence

ExtraFood.org With a mission to help end hunger and wasted food through a food recovery program, ExtraFood.org is the only program that picks up excess food and immediately delivers it to partners serving the most vulnerable children, adults and families. Their program overcomes challenges of transportation, fear, and shame by putting food distribution sites where hungry people already live, work and study. SPONSOR: Nugget Markets

Volunteer of the Year

Kim Lambert, Canal Alliance A retired corporate attorney with 30 years of experience, Kim came to Canal Alliance as a volunteer in 2016 to support the Immigration Legal Services Team. She dedicated over 400 hours making sure client records were being accurately recorded and stored, managed the review of thousands of past immigration cases, processed DACA renewals and citizenship applications, participated in legal workshops, volunteered as a tutor in the adult ESL classes, and worked many mornings in the Food Pantry. SPONSOR: Redwood Credit Union

Excellence in Board Leadership

Pepe Gonzalez, 10,000 Degrees As board chair for 10,000 Degrees, Pepe has implemented their five-year plan, managed a merger, and led strategic planning efforts to triple the number of students and families reached with comprehensive college success programming. In addition, he helped mobilize the board and organizational resources to maintain active participation in supporting the staff and students after the Trump Administration announced ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. SPONSORS: EO Products and College of Marin

Excellence in Leadership

Mary Denton, CEO, Suny Hills Services Appointed CEO of Suny Hills Services in 2010, Mary has streamlined the organization’s management structure, strengthened the financial accountability of programs, scaled up efforts in private fundraising, and increased the budget by 85% from $7 to $13 million. Key programs include The Hunt School of Marin, Real Alternatives for Adolescents, Marin Transition-Age Youth, and ReStart. SPONSOR: Marin Community Foundation

Excellence in Inovation

RxSafe Marin RxSafe is an innovative example of how communities can work together to save lives and reduce harm from prescription drug use and abuse and is serving as a mentor to others in California. Structured to coordinate actions through 5 teams: Law Enforcement; Prescribers and Pharmacists; Community Prevention; Treatment and Recovery; and Data Collection and Monitoring, teams partnerto advance strategies and coordinate efforts. Preliminary results indicate a 41% reduction in the average dose of narcotics prescribed. SPONSORS: International ProInsurance and Pacific Union

Corporate Community Service

Redwood Credit Union In 2017, RCU’s Marin staff provided volunteer support totaling over 3,250 hours at 115 events for local nonprofit and community organizations. RCU pays staff their salaries when they volunteer during business hours and management staff are encouraged to serve on a board of directors or committee. RCU established the North Bay Fire Relief Fund which has raised more than $31 million to support fire victims, first responders, students and schools, along with small businesses and employees who have lost their jobs due to the fires. SPONSORS: Pacific Gas and Electric Company and Bregante + Company, LLP[

Youth Volunteers of the Year

Macie Millstein, Senior, Marin Academy Marcie led all of Marin Academy’s community action efforts, from facilitating Community Action Leaders to being a trailblazer for Marin Academy’s Youth Grants Board. She volunteers at Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity and is a Board Member on Marin/San Francisco Jewish TeenFoundation. Kyle Sayers, Senior, Branson, Next Generation Scholars As part of Next Generation Scholars, Kyle created a bicultural computer science class that serves low-income students, teaching basic computer science principles to 6th and 7th graders. He co-created an app to close the equity gap for college students and is now working with PENN and Tufts to launch this technology. Yonayda Rodas, Senior, San Rafael High School, YWCA San Francisco & Marin As an intern for YWCA San Francisco & Marin, Yonayda has volunteered over 100 hours toward the mission of eliminating racism and empowering women. She knocked on thousands of doors over a 3-month period, passing out ‘Know Your Rights’ cards and educating communities about how to respond to ICE raids and investigations. Joshua Rowe, Sophomore, San Domenico School, Youth Leadership Institute Through the Youth Leadership Institute, Josh has been instrumental in the success of the Marin County Youth Commission serving as a Commissioner. As a member of the Alcohol, Tobacco, and other Drugs Prevention Advisory committee, he has led efforts to reduce underage access to alcohol. Kobe Pole, Senior, Redwood High School, Marin Search & Rescue Last year, Kobe logged 500+ hours and responded on 23 missions, often serving in leadership positions with Marin County Search & Rescue. Missions varied from searching for human remains in Sonoma after the recent fires, searching for a plane that crashed in the Pt. Reyes National Seashore, to a missing man in Hicks Valley. SPONSOR: Bank of Marin

Lifetime Achievement Award

Marilyn Price, Founder, Trips for Kids Marilyn is a social activist and cycling legend known internationally for her work as an accomplished entrepreneur. She pioneered the practice of bicycle trail riding to deliver lessons in personal responsibility and environmental awareness through the development of practical skills and the simple act of having fun. Marilyn’s pioneering use of the bicycle as a tool for helping under-served youth translates across gender, cultural, economic and ethnic boundaries and has spread worldwide. SPONSOR: Kaiser Permanente, San Rafael

2017 Nominees…

Achievement in Nonprofit Excellence

The Achievement in Nonprofit Excellence Award and $5,000 will be presented to an organization that has demonstrated exemplary service to their constituents. Here are this year’s nominees.

Catholic Charities Canal Family Support Kids Club Catholic Charities St. Vincent’s School for Boys Ceres Community Project Children for Change Downtown Streets Team Extrafood.org Homeward Bound of Marin Kids Cooking for Life Little Wishes Marin Humane NovatoSpirit Operation Access Project H.O.P.E. San Rafael Elks Lodge #1108 St Vincent de Paul Society of Marin County

SPONSOR: Nugget Markets

Volunteer of the Year

The Volunteer of the Year Award and $5,000 for the recipient’s nonprofit will be presented to an individual (other than a board member) who has provided exemplary volunteer service to a Marin nonprofit organization. Here are this year’s nominees.

Tori Brant, Singers Marin David Brusati, Whistlestop Georgia Couderc, Marin Humane Jermey Durfee, Next Generation Scholars Dan Foldes, Pint of Soul Chris Gomes, Art Works Downtown Daniel Heagerty, Spirit Rock Meditation Center Kim Lambert, Canal Alliance Banana AKA Lowell Levinger, Bread & Roses Judith McElroy, Buckelew Ellen McKena, Extrafood.org Carole Ormiston, Halleck Creek Ranch Josefina Perez, Senior Peer Counselor, Civic Center Volunteers Ingrid Purcell, Hospice by the Bay Gordon Robinson, Marin Humane Paula Sauve, Godmothers of Timothy Murphy School Fred Silverman, 10,000 Degrees Academic Support Richard Vance, Marine Mammal Center Bill Weinberg, Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco Woody Weingarten, Marin Man to Man

SPONSOR: Redwood Credit Union

Excellence in Board Leadership

The Excellence in Board Leadership Award and $5,000 for the recipient’s nonprofit will be presented to an exceptional volunteer member of a Marin nonprofit board of directors. Here are this year’s nominees.

Eric Aanes, Lifehouse Paula Doubleday, Downtown Street Team Pepe Gonzalez, 10,000 Degrees Lori Johanson, Little Wishes Chuck Lesem, Trips for Kids Susane Lyons, WildCare Janet Miller, Integrated Community Services Ken Preston, Youth Leadership Institute John Rosenberg, Art Works Downtown Selina Wajnowski, Halleck Creek Ranch

SPONSORS: EO Products and College of Marin

Excellence in Leadership

The Excellence in Leadership Award and $5,000 for the recipient’s nonprofit will be presented to an executive director who has demonstrated excellence in leadership and whose vision has inspired meaningful and lasting change benefiting the organization and community. Here are this year’s nominees.

Robin Joy Berenson, PhD, LMFT, Community Institute Psychotherapy Kay Carlson, Marin Open Studios Mary Denton, Suny Hills Services Nancy Dow Moody, Lifehouse Daria Halprin, Tamalpa Institute Miko Lee, Youth in Arts Christine Paquette, St. Vincent de Paul Society, District Council of Marin County Elisabeth Setten, Art Works Downtown Aliyya Shelley Mattos, PaperSeed Foundation Ted Smith, Kids Cooking for Life Kim Thompson, Community Land Trust Association of West Marin (CLAM)

SPONSOR: Marin Community Foundation

Excellence in Inovation

The Excellence in Inovation Award and $5,000 will be presented to an individual, organization or partnership that has developed new, creative and effective strategies for advancing solutions to critical issues in our community. Here are this year’s nominees.

Ambassadors of Hope & Opportunity Canal Alliance Immigration Legal Services Team College of Marin Cupboard Dominican Sisters of San Rafael Downtown Streets Team Enriching Lives Through Music Extrafood.org Golden Gate Dietetic Internship Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco Osher Marin JCC RxSafe Marin Suny Hills Services

SPONSORS: International ProInsurance and Pacific Union

Corporate Community Service

The Corporate Community Service Award will be presented to a business that has fostered and encouraged volunteerism and philanthropy among its employees. Here are this year’s nominees.

EO Products Microsoft Corte Madera Mike’s Bikes Nugget Markets Redwood Credit Union

SPONSORS: Pacific Gas and Electric Company and Bregante + Company, LLP

Youth Volunteer of the Year

Up to five Youth Volunteer of the Year Awards of $1,000 each will be presented to full-time middle or high school students serving a Marin nonprofit in the community, education or faith environment. Here are this year’s nominees.

Patricia Almaraz, Terra Linda High School Christopher Barajas, Terra Linda High School Dylan Cullinane, St. Anselm School Audrey Dickinson, Branson School Katie Held, St. Anselm School Yessenia Hernandez, San Rafael High School Maya Krause, Sir Francis Drake High School Leela Langlois, San Rafael High School Damaris Marrufo, Marin School of the Arts at Novato High Macie Millstein, Marin Academy Ana Ostrovsky, Terra Linda High School Emma Page, Saint Vincent High School Kobe Pole, Redwood High School Yonayda Rodas, San Rafael High School Joshua Rowe, San Domenico School Kyle Sayers, Branson School Ethan Strull, Marin Academy Elaine Zhou, Novato High School

SPONSOR: Bank of Marin

Lifetime Achievement Award

The Lifetime Achievement Award and $5,000 for the individual’s nonprofit(s) will be presented to an individual who has made a positive and notable difference during their career by significantly contributing to address a cause, issue or discipline. This is the only nomination category where additional material is accepted. Here are this year’s nominees.

Laurie Cohen Barbara Lee Avon Mattison Gary Maxworthy Suzie Pollak Marilyn Price Debra Scheenstra, DVM Karen Schurig Sandi Miot and Beryl Miller

SPONSOR: Kaiser Permanente, San Rafael

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