Zappos CEO to Honor Classy Folk

Some of the nation's top leaders in business and in the non-profit sector have signed up to award our nation's top volunteers.

The 2nd Annual CLASSY Awards will recognize the top philanthropic achievements in eight cities across the country: Boston, Chicago , Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York City, San Diego, San Francisco and Washington D.C.

Among those who have signed up to meet the winners on stage are Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh. Hsieh is just one of a number of presenters announced this week for the CLASSY Awards ceremony on Nov. 7 in San Diego, where the national winners will be recognized. Tickets are available online.

Attendees will have the chance to swap stories with Invisible Children's Laren Poole, whose first-hand tales of war in central Africa have mobilized a generation. Cut a rug with Amy Smith, head of the largest volunteer action network in the country.

More than $100,000 will be donated to support the charitable efforts of the ten national CLASSY Awards winners.

From August 1 until September 17, StayClassy and NBC stations in those cities accepted nominations for charities, businesses and individuals who should be recognized for their achievements. On Oct. 9, StayClassy announced the top five city finalists per category.

Voting has begun. You can vote for the city award winners. In San Diego, some famliiar organizations are up for an award. Voting ends Friday, Oct. 22.

The finalists for San Diego's 2010 Charity of the Year:

• Voices for Children
• Home Start, Inc.
• Surfrider Foundation San Diego Chapter
• Camp Footprints
• Insulindependence
• StandUp For Kids-Oceanside
• Interfaith Shelter Network of San Diego
• A Reason to Survive (ARTS)
• After-School All-Stars
• Standup for Kids-San Diego

The San Diego finalists in the Most Effective Awareness Campaign category:

• Surfrider Foundation San Diego Chapter
• Animal Protection and Rescue League
• Invisible Children
• I Love A Clean San Diego
• San Diego Youth Services

The San Diego finalists in the Most Creative Fundraiser category::

• Wounded Warrior Homes
• Seany Foundation
• "All Things Royale" Shopping Events by Moderne LLC
• After-School All-Stars
• Outdoor Outreach

The San Diego finalists in the Small Charity of the Year category:

• MANA de San Diego
• Camp Footprints
• WitKids (Whatever It Takes)
• STAR/PAL
• Reality Changers

The San Diego finalists in the Most Innovative Use of Social Media category:

• YNPN San Diego
• San Diego County Crime Stoppers
• American Council on Exercise
• Lamb's Players Theatre
• After-School All-Stars
  

CLASSY Awards partners include: NBC Bay Area, NBC Chicago, NBC Los Angeles, NBC New York, NBC San Diego, NBC Washington, Guidestar.org, Legalzoom, Yelp, Young Nonprofit Professionals Network - San Diego & New York chapters, Volunteer SD, and L.A. Works.

The organization Stay Classy Inc. reaches out to young professionals to get them more involved in their communities. Wearing “Stay Classy” T-shirts, volunteers clean beaches, help youth programs and, most recently, raise money by running along the coast.

The San Diego-based organization has helped raise $300,000 since its inception five years ago.

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