ONE Awards finalists announced
The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits has announced a selection commission has chosen the finalists for its 10th annual Oklahoma Nonprofit Excellence (ONE) Awards. The event, which takes place April 29 at Renaissance Tulsa Hotel and Convention Center, honors outstanding nonprofits throughout the state for their work to improve their respective communities and change lives.
“The finalists are recognized, not merely for their efforts to better their community, but for their quality of process toward that effort,” said David Hogan, Chairman of the ONE Awards Selection Commission in a news release. “From top level management to part time staff, these are committed individuals working together for the greater good of all Oklahomans.”
The ONE Awards were established in 2008 by the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits with guidance foundation leader J. Jerry Dickman and Tulsa businessman Joe Moran to draw attention to those nonprofit organizations that employ the tenets of excellence in their operations every day. Since its inception, the program has awarded cash grants between $5,000 and $10,000 to exceptional Oklahoma Nonprofits. In April, the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits will have given $1.5 million to more than 150 Oklahoma nonprofits thanks to the ONE Awards.
This year, the Center will recognize the work of all past winners as part of the 10-year anniversary celebration. The 2017 ONE Awards are being chaired by Tulsans Billie and Howard Barnett. The Barnetts said they were honored to chair the prestigious event, the only one of its kind in the state.
“This is one of the best nights of the year for nonprofits,” Billie Barnett said in a news release. “Every single person in the room is so enthusiastic. There is such an energy there. It’s indescribable. And best of all, every nonprofit honored goes home a winner thanks to the generosity of our visionary sponsors.”
Winners in each category are awarded $7,500, and two finalists in each category receive $5,000 each. At the conclusion of the program, one nonprofit is selected as the overall winner and receives $10,000 total for its organization. A total of almost $150,000 will be awarded to nonprofits throughout the evening. Out of nearly 100 organizations nominated for this year’s awards, 24 were selected as finalists.
The ONE Awards Selection Commission, a group of prominent community leaders from across Oklahoma, determines the finalists for the ONE Awards. The Commission meets annually in different parts of the state to expand awareness of charitable work in all communities.
The Commission, chaired by David Hogan, of Tulsa, includes: Kathie Coyle (Tulsa), Nance Diamond (Shawnee), J. Jerry Dickman (Tulsa), Lisa Greenlee (Altus), Kim Henry (Norman), Phil Lakin, Jr. (Tulsa), Frank Merrick (Oklahoma City), Polly Nichols (Oklahoma City), Meg Salyer (Oklahoma City), Wendi Schuur (Oklahoma City) and Mary Kate Wilson (Ardmore).
“We are always amazed at the number of outstanding nonprofit organizations nominated by our commissioners,” said Hogan in a news release. “It’s very tough to narrow it down to 24. The The 2017 finalist organizations, which will each receive a minimum of $5,000, include:
Arts & Humanities
Enid Symphony Orchestra — Enid Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center — OKC Shortgrass Arts and Humanities Council — Altus Community Community Renewal of Pottawatomie County — Shawnee HeartLine — OKC Hospitality House of Tulsa (HHT) — Tulsa
Education
Payne Education Center — OKC Reading Partners — Tulsa The Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools — OKC
Health Services
Bethesda — Norman Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Tulsa — Tulsa Oklahoma City Indian Clinic — OKC Self-Sufficiency Muskogee Bridges Out of Poverty — Muskogee Loaves & Fishes NW OK — Enid The Tristesse Grief Center — Tulsa
Seniors
Car Care Clinic — Tulsa Center for Creative Living Corporation — Lawton Wheatheart Nutrition Project, Inc. — Blackwell
Youth Services
Fields and Futures — OKC Marie Detty Youth and Family Services Center, Inc. — Lawton Oklahoma Youth Expo — OKC/Statewide
Open Category
G.M. Sutton Avian Research Center — Bartlesville McCall’s Chapel School, Inc. — Ada Oklahoma City Police Athletic League — OKC finalists this year are impressive and incredibly diverse, representing many parts of the state and an array of missions.”
To purchase tickets or for sponsorship information for the 2017 ONE Awards, please call 800-338-1798 or go to okcnp.org. The Renaissance Tulsa Hotel and Convention Center is at 6808 South 107th East Avenue in Tulsa.
The ONE Awards sponsors include the Potts Family Foundation, The Barnett Family Foundation, Boeing, The H.A. and Mary K. Chapman Charitable Foundations, The Chickasaw Nation, Chahta Foundation, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Cherokee Nation, Moran Family Foundation, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation and The Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation.