January 13th, 2020 – Tampa, FL — WEDU PBS announced today the finalists for the 2020 WEDU Be More Awards. The fifteenth annual WEDU Be More Awards will take place on Thursday, February 27, 2020 at the Bryan Glazer JCC in Tampa. The annual community event will begin at 11:00 a.m. with the Hall of Heroes followed by an inspiring luncheon and awards ceremony starting at 12:00 p.m. Tickets are available online at www.wedu.org/bemore. Utilizing a panel of impartial judges who spent weeks reviewing applications and nominations, WEDU, West Central Florida’s primary PBS station, will recognize nonprofit organizations and individuals who applied or were nominated for honors in a variety of categories ‐ culminating with one organization being named the WEDU Be More Unstoppable, Nonprofit Organization of the Year (2020). The WEDU Be More Awards was created by WEDU PBS to help raise awareness for local nonprofits and their service to West Central Florida. Annually, the program helps introduce new donors, volunteers, and those in need of services to the worthy nonprofit organizations.

Children First has been nominated as a finalist in four categories:

• BE MORE BRILLIANT Florida Blue Innovation Award – recognizes initiatives, projects, and/or services that are unique, creative, or innovative and will be presented to the organization responsible for the development, coordination, delivery, and results of the project.
• BE MORE RELEVANT Best Use of Video Award – awarded to the organization that tells a compelling story through video that has the power to compel someone to seek services, volunteer time, or support an organization financially.
• BE MORE INVOLVED Mason Dixon Award for Volunteerism – one person can make an extraordinary difference. These award finalists were culled from an online poll driven by votes from the general public in the WEDU viewing area. Local radio personality and philanthropist, Mason Dixon, will ultimately choose and present the award to the most‐deserving recipient from nominees that receive the most online support during the voting period.
• BE MORE UNSTOPPABLE Nonprofit of the Year Award – this award is the most coveted and is determined through extensive research. It is ultimately decided by an independent judging committee and given to one organization that, through a superior level of service, helps their constituency be more. Selected from all submitted applications, the criteria to win this award consists of overall organizational excellence; fulfillment of the Four Commitments to the Community, including service to the organizations’ constituency, level of community impact, financial viability and embodiment of overall community goodwill. In addition to many other benefits, the organization recognized with this award receives a $2,500 WEDU Community Investment Grant.

To read the full press release on WEDU Public Media’s website, please click here.