The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County (CFAAC) commemorated 20 years of its Celebration of Philanthropy Awards by honoring 20 categories of difference makers in Anne Arundel County. These awards recognized the people and groups who are there to drive change and make our community stronger. The event was live-streamed and included a series of pre-filmed awardee videos and video messages from community leaders including Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley, Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman, and United States Senator Chris Van Hollen.
“Celebrating 20 years of recognizing our community’s most generous individuals, families, and businesses was extremely important for us. We wanted to make the virtual experience as engaging and memorable as we possibly could during these challenging times,” said Mary Spencer, CFAAC President & CEO.
“We couldn’t be more thankful for our sponsors, board members, event partners, staff members, attendees, and film crew for making this unprecedented event happen. We were thrilled to have so many people join us in applauding the impact that the awardees have made in our county. These difference makers are exactly the inspiration we need these days.”
This year CFAAC added 15 categories to the five traditional categories it usually honors during this longstanding event. A committee of past Celebration of Philanthropy Award winners selected the following five award recipients: Philanthropists of the Year, John and Jan Magnolia; Corporate Philanthropist of the Year, Crosby Marketing Communications; Foundation of the Year, AMFM Foundation; Volunteer of the Year, Vanessa Carter; and Young Volunteer of the Year, Haley Havard.
A committee of nonprofit and community leaders selected the additional 15 award recipients: Boots on the Ground Award, Susana Cruz; Carroll H. Hynson Jr. Award for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Philanthropy, Yevola Peters; Outstanding Small Business Award, Atlas Container Corporation; Carol Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award, Henry “Hank” Libby; Community Collaborators Award, Banneker-Douglass Museum; Emerging Philanthropist Award, Ellen D. Shiery; Innovation Award, Creating Communities; Leadership in Philanthropy Award, Taylor Pyles; Nonprofit MVP Award, Kristina Mitchell; Outstanding Nonprofit Award, Hope For All; Outstanding Professional Fundraiser Award, Jan Wood; Outstanding Volunteer Group Award, Anne Arundel Medical Center Auxiliary; Outstanding Youth Group Award, Kid Changemakers; Unsung Hero Award, Jan Atwood; and Legacy Award for Planned Giving, Cherie Loustaunau.
Over 350 people watched the virtual event online and on CFAAC’s social media pages. The video of the event is available online at www.cfaac.org .
“People were engaged during the event through video chat, Facebook, and Twitter, and that’s all we could ask for,” said Spencer. “We hope that these inspiring stories keep people optimistic and that they encourage others to become more philanthropic through volunteering, donating, and sharing their talents with our community.”
To find out more about CFAAC and the Celebration of Philanthropy Awards or to make a secure, tax-deductible online donation, visit www.cfaac.org .
