National Philanthropy Day Honors® Seven at Annual Celebration

The Inland Empire Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) honored the work of individuals, volunteers, non-profit organizations, and corporations during a recent awards luncheon on at the Historic Mission Inn in Riverside, Calif. The event, held in recognition of National Philanthropy Day®, recognizes outstanding leadership and volunteerism throughout Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. National Philanthropy Day® occurs annually on the fifteenth of November and aims towards recognizing the contributions of philanthropy - and those people active in the philanthropic community - to the enrichment of our world. “We are honored to celebrate those individuals and organizations that truly make a difference in our communities,” said Debbie A. Cannon, President of the Inland Empire Chapter. 2015 Honorees include: Professional of the Year – Tim Evans Tim Evans is the Founder and Executive Director of the Unforgettables. He is a champion for financially-challenged families. More notably, Evans has continually led and built the vital 50l(c)(3) non-profit organization for more than 15 years. The Unforgettable has helped more than 5,000 struggling families in need. “The Unforgettables steps in, in the midst of crisis to help families who are cash strapped to better afford a timely, simple burial for their child,” said Evans. “It is a high honor that I am able to represent anyone that has ever had a part in the Unforgettables,” said Evans. For more information call (909) 335-1600 or go the website www.Unforgettables.org. Youth Volunteer of the Year – Jasia Morrison Morrison has lent her time (over 3,000 volunteer hours) and talents to more than 15 community groups from shopping for children, helping the homeless to honoring veterans at the Don Ferrarese Foundation holiday Tribute, which serves over 1,000 veterans annually. “I am oh so very blessed to receive this award,” said Morrison. “It was something so unexpected for me. My mom taught me to do things from my heart and not to expect anything in return. I am humbled and honored to receive the award.” Morison started volunteering early in life after troubled times hit her family. “I stared at a very young age of seven or eight. My family was going through a divorce. We were living in a garage and the church gave us help including a Thanksgiving dinner.” “The help we received at his time in our lives made a big impression on me and my family,” said Morrison. “I started volunteering for alter serving at the church. My Mom, brothers and I started teaching at catechism class. Then we started collecting food the homeless because we new what it was like to be hungry.” “We are much better now. We have a house and food on the table. We are still giving back. But it’s not just me, it’s my brothers 14-year-old Joshua, 16-year-old Justin and 20-year-old John, along with my mother and father. We all give time to help others in need,” said Morrison. Philanthropists of the Year – Mr. and Mrs. Tom Zapara Philanthropy is intrinsic to Loma Linda couple, Vi and Tom Zapara. The duo most recently helped fund The Rehabilitation Center at Loma Linda University Health, and School of Business at La Sierra University. Volunteer of the Year – Dr. Carolyn Eggleston For 38 years, Dr. Eggleston has focused her life to help others. She has dedicated her professional career to help break the cycle of incarceration through education programs within prisons. Dr. Eggleston was a founder of the Women’s Leadership Council, a group that has helped 1,581 young ladies and has raised over $185,990. Foundation of the Year - The Community Foundation Since 1990, the Foundation has dispensed more than $45 million in grants and scholarships. These scholarships are given to every college and university in the two counties, as well as to other institutions of higher learning across the country. Community Champion – San Manuel Band of Mission Indians The commitment of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians to the Inland Empire communities is unparalleled. San Manuel Band of Mission Indians’ philanthropic work focuses on many areas including education, health, economic development, and special projects throughout the Inland Empire. Volunteer Group of the Year – Inland Women Fighting Cancer Inland Women Fighting Cancer teamed up with Stater Bros. Charities to launch the inaugural Believe Walk on October 4, 2008. This grassroots event engages nearly 12,000 participants, donors and sponsors and has raised over $2.5 million. For 29 years, since President Ronald Reagan first proclaimed Nov. 15 National Philanthropy Day® (NPD), AFP Chapters all over the world set aside a day to host events to increase public interest and awareness on the importance of giving. International celebrations of NPD seek to highlight the significance of investing in philanthropy, paying tribute to those who make a difference despite challenging economic circumstances. Since 1960 the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) has inspired global change and supported efforts that generated over $1 trillion, AFP’s nearly 30,000 individual and organizational members raise over $100 billion annually, equivalent to one-third of all charitable giving in North America and millions more around the world. For more information about the AFP Inland Empire Chapter visit http://www.inlandempireafp.com/. For more information on the Association of Fundraising Professionals please call Debbie A. Cannon, Inland Empire Chapter president at (760) 553-6029.