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Asian Women for Health and Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition Named Finalists for Small Nonprofit Excellence Award
Nonprofit Excellence Awards highlight the important contributions of the Massachusetts nonprofit sector
BOSTON, MA (May 28, 2020) The Massachusetts Nonprofit Network (MNN) announced that Boston-based nonprofits Asian Women for Health (AWFH) and Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition (MFFC) have been selected as finalists for the 2020 Nonprofit Excellence Award in the Small Nonprofit category.
The winners of the Nonprofit Excellence Awards will be announced at a virtual awards ceremony, Nonprofit Awareness Day: A Celebration of Nonprofit Excellence on Wednesday, June 24 at 10:00 am. The awards ceremony is presented by Citizens Bank.
"We are thrilled to recognize Asian Women for Health and Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition for their invaluable contributions to the Commonwealth," said Jim Klocke, CEO of MNN. "We look forward to recognizing these organizations and the other award finalists on Nonprofit Awareness Day on June 24."
"AWFH plays a critical role in our community in promoting health equity and increasing access to quality care and culturally relevant resources for underserved women,” said Audrey Paek External Committee Chair of AWFH. “I've seen firsthand how survivors of cancer and trauma have grown stronger through their connection to AWFH. Countless women tap into this powerful peer network that supports their healing, health, and well-being; many then give back to others by becoming advocates and ambassadors of the organization."
“Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition (MFFC) is excited to be named a finalist for the Nonprofit Excellence Award in the Small Nonprofit category,” said Shavel’le Oliver, Executive Director of MFFC. “Our all women of color leadership team has volunteered and dedicated their time and expertise to ensure that Mattapan residents can assess and afford healthy foods and physical activity options. We would like to thank the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network for seeing our dedication to Mattapan!”
The Nonprofit Excellence Award in the Small Nonprofit category recognizes an organization that exceeds expectations and despite their small size, has managed to fulfill their mission and make major contributions to the population they serve.
In addition to AWFH and MFCC, the West Boylston-based Anike Foundation, the Salem-based North Shore Alliance for LGBTQ Youth, and the Medford-based West Medford Community Center were announced as finalists for the Small Nonprofit award.
During the virtual Nonprofit Awareness Day on June 24, Nonprofit Excellence Awards will be presented to one finalist in each of the following six categories: Advocacy, Collaboration, Innovation, Leadership, Small Nonprofit, and Young Professional.
This year, an independent panel of judges reviewed over 130 nominations for the Nonprofit Excellence Awards. The 27 finalists range from large education providers to small arts organizations, and represent different regions of Massachusetts.
In the weeks leading up to Nonprofit Awareness Day, nonprofits across the state are engaging in a social media campaign with the hashtag #MAkingadifference to raise public awareness of nonprofits’ important contributions to Massachusetts.
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About the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network
The Massachusetts Nonprofit Network (MNN) brings together nonprofits, funders, business leaders, and elected officials to strengthen nonprofits and raise the sector's voice on critical issues. MNN's mission is to strengthen the Massachusetts nonprofit sector through advocacy, public awareness, and capacity building. The network has more than 750 nonprofit member organizations and more than 150 business affiliate partners. massnonprofitnet.org
About Asian Women for Health
Asian Women for Health (AWFH) is a peer-led, community-based network dedicated to advancing Asian women’s health and well-being through education, advocacy, and support. We are a diverse group of individuals working together across differences in age, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, socio-economic and educational levels, to address individual, community-wide and systemic barriers that affect Asian women and their loved ones. asianwomenhealth.org
About the Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition
The Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition (MFFC) is a collaborative organization, bringing together Mattapan residents, organizations and others to work on improving the food and physical activity environments in Mattapan. MFFC promotes healthy behaviors through its membership, its networks, and its partnerships with other organizations as well as providing affordable and accessible opportunities for healthy eating and active living. MFFC provides leadership through community engagement. mattapanfoodandfit.org