The Voices for Children Awards were established by NC Child in 2017 to honor community advocates and organizations for their service as voices for children in North Carolina.

In 2017, NC Child honored the work of Tom Vitaglione by establishing an award in his name: The Tom V. Child Advocacy Award.

The award recognizes Tom’s decades of service as a voice for children in North Carolina. It is a voice characterized by the following qualities:

Hope

An unshakeable and infectious belief — even when there are daunting challenges before us — that we can make a measurable and positive difference in the lives of our children through policy change.

Heart

A deep and joyful love for the children in our lives and in our community, and a heart-driven desire to make sure each child has every opportunity to grow, learn, play and thrive, because all children — every single one — deserve our protection and our love.

Persistence

The capacity to never, ever give up working for the best interests of our children’s safety, health, education and well-being. Even when we hit a dead-end; even after years of little progress; we persist, staying in the game and speaking up for what our children need to succeed.

Partnership

The belief that good public policy is forged in partnership, bridging the divides of party and politics, to do what is right by children. Child advocates do our best work by overcoming differences — by listening, compromising, negotiating, and finding common ground — to advance solutions that prioritize our state’s children.

NC Child believes these qualities are critical to effective advocacy for children in our state. We look forward to presenting this biennial award to an individual or individuals who demonstrates these qualities and who — like Tom V. — is a voice for children in North Carolina.

The Community Voices award was established in 2019 to recognize those advocates on the ground and in the community who have brought tremendous change for children and youth because of their voices and their efforts.

In 2021, the honorees of this year’s Community Voices Award were chosen by a panel of community volunteers from nominations by the North Carolina Child Advocacy Network. The selected honorees will be awarded a cash prize of $2,500 and will be recognized at the 2021 Voices for Children Awards.

Requirements for nomination:

• Be a community-based grassroots group who advocates for or serves children and families in North Carolina
• Represent the racial and ethnic diversity of the community it serves and/or advocates for
• Be making a difference In the lives of children and families in their community, at least in part, by advocating for a policy change  at the local, county, state, or federal level
• Be able to accept a taxable cash gift of $2,500

In 2019, the first Community Voices Award was awarded to SaySo, or Strong Able Youth Speaking Out, a statewide association of youth aged 14 to 24 who are, or have been, in the substitute care system in North Carolina.

SaySo began in 1998 as a project of the NC Child Advocacy Institute. Nancy Carter cultivated a vision of lifting the voices of those young people most impacted by the foster care system, and helping those strong, smart, experienced youth voices be heard by local and state decision-makers – whether it was the staff and leadership of local departments of social services, foster families, Guardian ad Litem’s, the Governor’s Office, or the North Carolina legislature.

$10,000 (1 Available)

• Recognized by emcee as the Presenting Sponsor for the 2021 Voices for Children event
• Your logo included in all event marketing materials: event website, invitations, social media and event promotions
• Your sponsorship underwrites the Tom V. Award, including the $2,500 cash prize to the 2021 recipient
• Invitation to present the Tom V. Award to the 2021 recipient during the event
• NC Child blog post in April featuring you/your organization and your commitment to helping children through your sponsorship of Voices for Children
• 15-second video thank you featuring you/your agency during the event program
• Dedicated mention of you/your agency on NC Child’s social media channels before the event (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram)
• Thank you message shared after the event on NC Child’s social media channels

$5,000 (2 Available)

• Recognized by emcee 2021 Voices for Children sponsor at the Friend level at the event
• Your logo included in all event marketing materials: event website, invitations, social media and event promotions
• Your sponsorship underwrites the Community Voices Award, including $2,500 cash prize to the 2021 recipient during program
• Invitation to participate in selection committee for 2021 Community Voices Award
• 15-second video thank you featuring you/your agency during the event program
• Dedicated mention of you/your agency on NC Child’s social media channels before the event (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram)
• Thank you message shared after the event on NC Child’s social media channels

$2,500 (4 Available)

• Acknowledged as a 2021 Voices for Children sponsor at the Champion level with your logo included in all event marketing materials: event website, invitations, social media and event promotions
• Your/your agency’s sponsorship directly supports NC Child’s partnerships with our Child Advocacy Network Hubs in Goldsboro (Wayne CAN), Asheville (Western NC CAN), Wilmington (New Hanover CAN), and Greensboro (Guilford CAN)
• Dedicated mention of you/your agency on NC Child’s social media channels before the event (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram)
• Thank you message shared after the event on NC Child’s social media channels

$1,000 (12 Available)

• Acknowledged as a 2021 Voices for Children sponsor at the Ambassador level in event marketing materials and during the event
• Your sponsorship provides stipends or covers cost for one meeting of NC Child’s Youth Advocacy Council or Parent Advisory Council in 2021
• Dedicated mention of you/your agency on NC Child’s social media channels before the event (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram)
• Thank you message shared after the event on NC Child’s social media channels

$500 (15 Available)

• Acknowledged as a 2021 Voices for Children sponsor at the Promoter level in event marketing materials and during the event
• Your sponsorship contributes to NC Child’s Youth Advocacy Council 2021 internship program, allowing youth voices to join us in affecting policy change for children and families
• Thank you message recognizing your business/organization on NC Child’s social media channels.

$250 (15 Available)

• Acknowledged as a 2021 Voices for Children sponsor at the Advocate level in event marketing materials and during the event
• Your sponsorship provides support for bringing advocates together with elected officials to advocate for children and families in North Carolina
• Thank you message recognizing your business/organization on NC Child’s social media channels.