On Wednesday, June 22, 2016, the California Association of Nonprofits (CalNonprofits) hosted the inaugural California Nonprofits Day celebration at the State Capitol in Sacramento, honoring nonprofits across the state as Nonprofits of the Year. The full list of honorees is here. 

THE 2017 CALIFORNIA NONPROFITS DAY EVENT IS SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 28TH! Contact Dishauna Castro at CalNonprofits for more information. 



Each nonprofit was selected by their local legislator as an exceptional nonprofit organization in the district community. The award recipients joined other nonprofit leaders from across the state who were honored at the inaugural California Nonprofits Day event. Participants visited the Senate and Assembly Floors and then were honored at a luncheon at Sacramento’s Sheraton Grand Hotel, with presentations from Sacramento Mayor-Elect Darrell Steinberg, Assemblymember Gordon, and Jan Masaoka, CEO of the California Association of Nonprofits (CalNonprofits). 

“Nonprofit organizations are vitally important to the economy and well-being of California. But too often nonprofits are ‘hidden in plain sight.’ We are thrilled that the State Assembly has passed a resolution putting the spotlight on nonprofits as an economic power that uses that power for the common good. We congratulate all of the award recipients on being honored for the great work they do every day to make California a better place,” said Jan Masaoka, CEO of CalNonprofits. CalNonprofits initiated California Nonprofits Day as a way not only to honor and spotlight individual nonprofits, but to raise the profile of the whole nonprofit community to legislators.

California Nonprofits Day generated lots of positive press for the Nonprofit of the Year honorees. Some examples are below:

California Nonprofits Day in Sacramento Bee Capitol Alert
Community Solutions in Morgan Hill Times
Community Solutions in Salinas Californian
Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano in Vallejo Times-Herald
Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano in Fairfield Daily Republic 
Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano in Reporter
Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County in Highland Community News
Food Finders in Long Beach Post
Food Finders in Long Beach Gazettes
Kings Community Action Organization in Hanford Sentinel 
Central Valley Honor Flight in Fresno Bee
Heart of the Horse Therapy Ranch in Fresno Bee
La Hermandad Hank Lacayo Youth & Family Center in Ventura County Star
Stay Focused Ministries in Kern Golden Empire
Jewish Family Service of San Diego in San Diego Jewish World
Jewish Family Service of San Diego in San Diego Jewish Journal
Jewish Family Service and WildCoast in Times of San Diego
Imperial Valley Food Bank in Imperial Valley News
Visalia Rescue Mission in Visalia Times-Delta
CASA Stanislaus in Central Valley Business Journal
CASA Stanislaus in Oakdale Leader
Desert Arc on KESQ-TV Palm Springs
Desert Arc in Desert Sun
OPCC (Ocean Park Community Center) in Canyon News
OPCC (Ocean Park Community Center) in Santa Monica Mirror
Save Mount Diablo in East County Today
Orange County Rescue Mission in Orange County Breeze
Children's Resource Network of the Central Coast in Santa Maria Times
SafeHouse of the Desert in Desert Sun 
North County Lifeline in San Diego Union-Tribune

If a story ran about your Nonprofit of the Year award and you don't see it here, please send it to us and we'll add to the list. And be sure to check out our Facebook and Twitter pages for more coverage! #CalNonprofitsDay #NonprofitPower