Recognizing the Unrecognized

I had the honor of attending Stay Classy’s 3rdAnnual Classy Awards last weekend - a red carpet event recognizing the top philanthropic achievements by charities, businesses and individuals nationwide.  What an amazing evening it was:  I cried, laughed, and gave big hugs to those sitting around me.

Leading up to the event, people from all over the country nominated and voted for Charity of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Best Use of Social Media, Most Creative Fundraiser, and for the first time, Young Nonprofit Professional of the Year. Reading the stories and impact of the young nonprofit professionals that were nominated was inspiring, but did make me think about all those young nonprofit professionals that were not nominated.   There are so many of those who, day after day, make a difference, touch lives, and often times go unrecognized.

To all you young nonprofit professionals, I would just like to say, THANK YOU…

• For dedicating your professional career to the nonprofit sector,
• For working long hours,
• For volunteering on your off-hours for other causes you care about,
• For being a philanthropist,
• For turning down other higher paying jobs,
• For dealing with “old school” technology,
• For leading the way in cause awareness through social media,
• For asking questions and challenging the status quo,
• For “volun-telling” your friends and family to donate, volunteer and get involved,
• For taking your professional development into your own hands, and 
• For dedicating your professional career to the nonprofit sector.

  

You aren’t necessary the founders, executive directors, board chairmen, or sometimes even part of the leadership team at your organization (yet!), but you work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure your organization meets its mission. Whomever you are and whatever your role within your organization, thank you!

Thank you, too, Stay Classy for having given us the opportunity to recognize the achievements and impact of our sector.

Thanks to YNPN San Diego Co-Chair Jaci Feinstein for the blog contribution!  To learn more about YNPN San Diego, follow us @ynpnsandiego or find us on Facebook.  We look forward to seeing you at our next event.