Every year we are honored to select winners for the Citizen of the Year and Citizen of Tomorrow Awards. Both exemplify people or groups that selflessly dedicate themselves to community enrichment.

Citizen of the Year Award

The Bay Citizen’s Citizen of the Year award honors an individual who has demonstrated excellence through relentless dedication, leadership and innovation towards advancing Bay Area civic causes that significantly enrich our community.

Bill Patterson’s unwavering commitment to making a difference in the world was illuminated by his community leadership, his environmentally focused philanthropy, and the building of a highly successful investment partnership.

When Bill passed away in September 2010 he left a vast personal, professional, and philanthropic legacy in the Bay Area.  We are proud to have him as our very first Citizen of the Year.

Citizen of Tomorrow Award

The Bay Citizen’s Citizen of Tomorrow award honors a Bay Area individual or small nonprofit who has come up with an ingenious way to solve a local community challenge. Winners get $5000 to help further their missions.  We narrowed down our search from nearly 100 entries to 5 finalists, and our readers chose the winner:

The East Bay Children’s Book Project works to build literacy by providing donated books to children who have little or no access to them. Working through individuals and organizations who help children in need, they have given out more than half a million free books since opening our doors in May 2005. www.eastbaychildrensbookproject.org

“We are very grateful to everyone at Bay Citizen and all of you who voted for us.” – Ann Katz, Founder, East Bay Children’s Book Project.

Runners-up

Free Farm Stand/Free Farm makes locally grown, fresh and nutritious organic produce accessible to all.  www.freefarmstand.org

Loved Twice clothes newborns in need with recycled baby clothing for the first year of life. www.lovedtwice.org

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