State legislators honor nonprofits

California’s state legislators have made their selections choosing their “Nonprofit of the Year.” This annual honor asks legislators to spotlight one exceptional nonprofit.

Statewide, 105 nonprofits were honored by California’s legislators, ranging from food banks to youth organizations to cultural institutions. Honorees are usually recognized at an event in Sacramento, but this year they will celebrate locally.

The California Association of Nonprofits (Calnonprofits.org) works with the Assembly Select Committee on the Nonprofit Sector to enable the Nonprofit of the Year effort each year.

“The pandemic and shelter-in-place orders of the last few months have put nonprofits — usually hidden in plain sight — in the spotlight,” Calnonprofits CEO Jan Masaoka said in a statement. “By selecting an organization to recognize as a Nonprofit of the Year, our elected officials celebrate the good work they see nonprofits doing in their districts and ensure communities see and appreciate the collective impact nonprofits are making.”

San Diego County-area legislators and the nonprofit agencies they chose to honor:

Senate

District 36 Sen. Patricia C. Bates: Encinitas Historical Society, Encinitas

District 39 Sen. Toni G. Atkins: Serving Seniors, San Diego

District 40 Sen. Ben Hueso: Samahan Health Centers, National City

Assembly

District 71 Assemblymember Randy Voepel: Rise Up Industries, Santee

District 76 Assemblymember Tasha Boerner Horvath: Boys & Girls Club of Oceanside

District 77 Assemblymember Brian Maienschein: Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol, Rancho Bernardo/poway/mira Mesa/ Scripps Ranch

District 78 Assemblymember Todd Gloria: Family Health Centers of San Diego

District 79 Assemblymember Shirley N. Weber: Paving Great Futures, San Diego

District 80 Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez: Chicano Federation, San Diego