Information provided by the San Benito Arts Council
The San Benito County Arts Council announced it was selected as the 2022 California Nonprofit of the Year by Assemblymember Robert Rivas.
The release said the San Benito County Arts Council is one of more than 100 nonprofits that was honored by their state senators and assemblymembers for their outstanding contributions to the communities they serve.
The Arts Council said its mission is to engage and connect people, communities and spaces in San Benito County through arts, culture and creativity and that they impact over 6,000 students every year with in-school and after-school arts education programs, uplift local artists and arts organizations through access to grant funding, exhibiting and presenting opportunities, and advocate for equity and access to the arts for all residents, including some of San Benito County’s most marginalized communities.
“We operate on the belief that arts and culture are vital to the community and economic development of San Benito County and that all residents have the right to full spectrum of art experiences and creative opportunities that advance racial and cultural equity and enrich quality of life. We are both honored and humbled to be recognized by Assemblymember Rivas as the 2022 Nonprofit of the Year,” said Executive Director Jennifer Laine.
“Nonprofit organizations play such a critical role in our communities, and the last two years of the pandemic have only served to highlight that.” noted Jan Masaoka, CEO of the California Association of Nonprofits (CalNonprofits), which serves as a partner for this awards program. “California Nonprofit of the Year gives elected officials the opportunity to shine a light on the important work nonprofits are doing in their districts and for everyone to appreciate the collective impact of nonprofits in our communities.”
According to the release, California Nonprofits Day is now in its seventh year and each year legislators from across California choose a Nonprofit of the Year in their district.
Honorees and legislators are invited by CalNonprofits, Chair of the Senate Select Committee on the Nonprofit Sector Senator Monique Limón (Santa Barbara), and Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on the Nonprofit Sector Assemblymember Luz Rivas to a celebratory luncheon which took place on California Nonprofits Day – Jun 8.
According to “Causes Count,” a 2019 report commissioned by CalNonprofits, the nonprofit sector is the 4th largest industry in the state, employing more than 1.2 million people.
“Each year, California nonprofits generate more than $273 billion in revenue and bring in $40 billion in revenue from outside of California,” the release said. “The unpaid labor contributed by volunteers at nonprofits is equivalent to 330,000 full-time jobs every year.”
For more information, please contact Jennifer Laine, Executive Director, San Benito County Arts Council at info@sanbenitoarts.org or at 831.636.2787.
For more information from Calnonprofits, please contact Lauren Kay, Director of Communications & Marketing at laurenk@calnonprofits.org.