Yesterday, House Speaker Robert DeLeo, Senate President Stan Rosenberg, and Secretary of Education Jim Peyser joined 250 business leaders and nonprofit professionals from across Massachusetts in the Great Hall of the State House to celebrate Nonprofit Awareness Day, presented by Citizens Bank.
Secretary of Education Jim Peyser, who spent half of his career working for nonprofits, said that while “Massachusetts has one of the most vibrant and effective nonprofit sectors in the country,” that those in attendance must continue to “provide means and capacity to address some of our biggest issues.”
“There’s a lot of power in this room,” Rick Musiol, Senior Vice President and Regional Director of Public Affairs, New England at Citizens Bank, said. And it was this power, this hope, that filled every face.
“We’re grateful to Citizens Bank,” said Jim Klocke, CEO of the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network, “For continuing their support of Nonprofit Awareness Day, which gives us a chance to recognize the essential role nonprofits play in strengthening the Commonwealth and celebrate their tremendous accomplishments through the Excellence Awards.”
The audience of gathered nonprofit leaders and business partners could hardly restrain their applause as the 30 finalists were honored for their work and the seven Nonprofit Excellence Award winners were announced. These seven organizations and professionals were recognized for the essential, creative, and passionate work they do throughout the Commonwealth.
Intermingled with the jubilation at the accomplishments of the nonprofit sector, government and elected leaders highlighted the ongoing partnership between government and the nonprofit sector.
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Thanks to everyone who told the world why #nonprofitsmakesense | ![]() |
Jeff Fatchaline, who accepted the Award in Communication on behalf of the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus, recounted the discrimination that the group faced recently when traveling abroad, a reminder of the work still to be done for LGBT equality. An impassioned Laurie “Duck” Caldwell of the Boston Area Gleaners accepted the award for Excellence by a Small Nonprofit on behalf of the one-in-ten individuals in Massachusetts who still do not have enough food. With tears in her eyes, Katrina Shaw of the Freedom House accepted the award for Excellence in Leadership and declared that “We need to do better” in order to provide a secure environment for children to discover their possibilities.
While the stories of the winners varied, the passion was universal, whether it was a commitment to improve children’s vision despite a scarcity of resources, a determination to fight for the rights of fishermen in the face of unfair legislation, a resolve to end alienation among gender nonconforming youth, or a desire to create safe and loving communities for foster children. All battles, according to the winners, that are far from over.