We are proud to announce that New Mexico Legal Aid has been honored with the 2024 Piñon Quiet Inspiration Award by the Santa Fe Community Foundation. This prestigious award recognizes organizations that work quietly and respectfully within the community, earning the trust and support of those they serve. It is an incredible honor for us to be recognized among the most impactful nonprofits in northern New Mexico.

Celebrating Excellence in Northern New Mexico’s Nonprofit Sector

The Piñon Awards, established by the Santa Fe Community Foundation in 1987, are a distinguished recognition of excellence within the nonprofit sector. Each year, the awards celebrate organizations that tirelessly uplift, empower, and create lasting change in northern New Mexico. This year, the Foundation received a record-breaking number of nominations, with over 100 heartfelt letters of support for nonprofits serving Mora, Rio Arriba, Santa Fe, and San Miguel counties.

New Mexico Legal Aid was selected from an extraordinary pool of nominees and is deeply grateful to be in the company of other esteemed honorees: The Memory Care Alliance (Courageous Innovation Award), Lightning Boy Foundation Inc. (Resiliency Award), and Bienvenidos Outreach, Inc. (Tried & True Award).

About the Quiet Inspiration Award

The Quiet Inspiration Award honors an organization that makes a profound impact while working behind the scenes, quietly and respectfully serving a wide range of community members. At New Mexico Legal Aid, we pride ourselves on being a voice, defender, and advocate for those in need. Whether it’s helping someone access food, shelter, or security or preserving the unique cultural heritages of our clients, we work diligently to ensure justice is accessible to all, especially the most vulnerable in our communities.

The 38th Annual Piñon Awards Ceremony will be held on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, at La Fonda on the Plaza in downtown Santa Fe. We look forward to celebrating this incredible achievement with our peers and community members.

As part of this honor, NMLA will receive a $5,000 unrestricted grant from the Santa Fe Community Foundation, a professionally produced marketing video, and air time on the Foundation’s monthly radio show on KSFR, 101.1 FM, Community Matters. The video will be filmed during our upcoming Statewide Meeting, and we are excited to share our story with a wider audience.

Gratitude and Recognition

We would like to extend our deepest thanks to the Santa Fe Community Foundation for this honor and to our incredible staff, volunteers, and supporters whose hard work and dedication made this award possible. Special thanks also go to our corporate partner, Enterprise Bank & Trust, for supporting the 38th Annual Piñon Awards.

As we celebrate this recognition, we remain committed to our mission of advancing justice and providing legal aid to those who need it most. We look forward to continuing our work, quietly but effectively, to make a lasting impact on the lives of New Mexicans.

For more information about the Piñon Awards, please visit Santa Fe Community Foundation’s website.

Together, we can continue to make a difference.