Oakley, CA – The Friends of the Oakley Library is proud to announce it has been selected as a 2023 California Nonprofit of the Year by Assemblywoman Lori Wilson, District 11.
The Friends of the Oakley Library is one of more than one hundred nonprofits that will be honored by their state senators and assemblymembers for their outstanding contributions to the communities they serve.
The Mission of the Friends of the Oakley Library is to support the Oakley Library by enhancing collections, programs, and facilities, to enrich the lives of Oakley’s diverse community. After receiving a $15,000 grant from the City of Oakley, we were able to provide even greater support to the library this past year. Our efforts included funding two children’s author programs and book giveaways of hundreds of their titles. We also provided funding for Aztec dance troupe Teokalli, a performance by the Fratello Marionettes, a Howl La La Boo Halloween program, a children’s Noon Year’s Eve event, Yoga storytime, storytime crafts and Lego supplies, furniture and sound equipment. We were seen at every outreach event hosted by the City or the community this past year in an effort to share information about the library and the Friends with community members. We support the City in its efforts to build a new library for Oakley and are eager to bring information about this project to the community.
“Volunteers with the Friends support the Oakley Library in transforming the lives of everyone in our community every day, and we are deeply humbled to be recognized by Assemblywoman Lori Wilson as a 2023 Nonprofit of the Year,” said Lorena Campos, President of the Friends of the Oakley Library.
When anyone talks about delivering meals to seniors, inspiring with music, protecting fresh water, educating children, championing the disadvantaged, speaking out for human rights, caring for animals . . . they are talking about work that nonprofits do,” 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 leaders the opportunity to shine a light on what nonprofits are accomplishing for the people in their districts and for everyone to appreciate the collective impact of nonprofits across our state.”
Now in its eighth year, the Nonprofit of the Year initiative provides the opportunity for each California state legislator to choose a nonprofit organization doing outstanding work in their district. The program culminates with a celebratory luncheon at the Capitol on California Nonprofits Day, which this year is June 7.
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 unpaid labor contributed by volunteers at nonprofits is equivalent to 330,000 full-time jobs every year.