Be Our Guest 2022

Demone Carter,
Be Our Guest Emcee

Join us for the 15th annual Be Our Guest -- Silicon Valley's most unique nonprofit luncheon and pumpkin auction! SVCN’s Be Our Guest is our fun twist on rubber chicken luncheons where local “celebrities” share lunch with hundreds of CBO staff and community leaders. Each year, SVCN honors nonprofits and nonprofit leaders who make a positive impact in our community and we auction off elaborately designed pumpkins.

After 2 years, we are excited to return back to in-person at Excite Ballpark on Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 11:30am - 1:30pm. Guests will enjoy a lively BBQ lunch, festive pumpkin contest, and the Nonprofit Impact Awards presentation. Halloween costumes are encouraged!

Parking will be available on-site and we encourage carpooling!

Nonprofit Impact Awards

Every year, Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits recognizes leaders and organizations in the nonprofit community who make a positive impact on the community, as well as the efforts of those who support local nonprofits. This year's award categories include:

Patricia A. Gardner Changemaker Award
Nonprofit of the Year Award
Collaborative Impact Award
Nonprofit Leadership Award
Nonprofit Ally Award

The award recipients were honored at Be Our Guest on Thursday, October 20, 2022.

Support for the 2022 Nonprofit Impact Awards comes from BDO FMA.

Read about the 2022 Award Recipients

Patricia A. Gardner Changemaker Award

Named after SVCN's long-time CEO, Patricia A. Gardner, this award honors Patricia's vision of nonprofit power in unity strengthened many community-based nonprofits and their work throughout the County.

The criteria are:

This leader, organization, or collaborative questioned the status quo and was not afraid to work to change policies or practices for the betterment of the community
This nominee’s or nominees’ work created positive, lasting change that contributed to building thriving and equitable communities

Awardees

André Chapman + Susie Rivera

‍Nonprofit of the Year

The criteria are:

Improved the well-being of the communities it serves in creative ways, despite the challenges regarding our community's extended recovery and the challenges we face in 2022.
Extended the benefit of existing services and programs to people who have previously lacked access to those services, supports, or experiences, especially to the BIPOC community or other disadvantaged groups

Awardee

Behavioral Health Contractors' Association (BHCA)

‍Nonprofit of the Year

Collaborative Impact Award This award reflects SVCN’s value of collaboration. The awardees will have worked across boundaries to develop a common vision and shared values; the awardees will have generated outcomes improved by their collaboration.

The criteria are:

This leader, organization, or collaborative has created and nurtured an impactful collaboration or partnership that inspired action, especially if the collaboration worked together to address this year’s challenging circumstances
The collaboration has resulted in tangible benefits to the community

Awardees

FIRST 5 & Family Resource Centers
+
San Jose Conservation Corps

Nonprofit Leadership Award

The future of the nonprofit community is in the hands of emerging leaders who are shaping the future of our sector through their energy, creativity, and exceptional leadership. This award is for individuals working in the nonprofit sector who are early to midway in their careers.

The criteria are:

This leader is committed to building an equitable and thriving community
This leader has already shown creativity and made significant contributions to our community and to their nonprofit organization
And more...

Awardees

Gabriela Berumen + Kylie Clark

Nonprofit Leadership Award

This award will be given to a government, private partner, Board member, or volunteer who has demonstrated an extraordinary level of commitment to the goals and work priorities of Santa Clara County nonprofits in 2022.

The criteria are:

This nonprofit ally worked to strengthen nonprofits to carry out their work
The nonprofit ally went above and beyond the call of duty to support a nonprofit organization or coalition