Tipitina's Foundation Named a Top 25 Finalist in Two Categories for Third Annual Classy Awards

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Jill Ensley
504.309.7934
foundation@tipitinas.com

TIPITINA’S FOUNDATION NAMED A TOP 25 FINALIST IN TWO CATEGORIES FOR 3^rd ANNUAL CLASSY AWARDS
StayClassy and Sponsors Offer More Than $150,000 to CLASSY Award Winners

New Orleans, LA., July 27, 2011 – StayClassy, a leader in social fundraising for nonprofits, has announced Tipitina’s Foundation as one of the 3^rd Annual CLASSY Awards Top 25 Finalists for Charity of The Year and Most Creative Fundraiser.

The CLASSY Awards is the largest philanthropic awards ceremony in the country, recognizing the most outstanding philanthropic achievements by charities, businesses and individuals nationwide. From now to August 26, Tipitina’s Foundation supporters can visit www.classyawards.org and vote for Tipitina’s Foundation to be named a CLASSY Award Winner for both Charity of The Year and Most Creative Fundraiser.

“We are absolutely delighted to be chosen in not just one, but two categories. It’s so uplifting to see national attention for efforts that help New Orleans, Louisiana, and the amazing musicians that we are here for. We hope that with the help of our supporters we can take this even further. ” –Jill Ensley, Operations/Artistic Director

More than 2,000 nominations were submitted to StayClassy for consideration. After a vetting process, StayClassy posted each nomination as an article on the CLASSY Awards Achievements Blog (www.stayclassy.org/stories) to put a national spotlight on amazing philanthropic stories. Tipitina’s Foundation rallied their supporters to generate at least 100 Facebook ‘Likes’ on their article to qualify them for the judging round. Out of thousands of nominations, the judges narrowed the list down to the Top 25 most inspiring and impactful in each category.

The Top 10 Finalists will be determined by public vote and announced on August 30^th. The winners will be recognized live on-stage at the Oscar-style CLASSY Awards ceremony in San Diego on September 17th.

A Charitable Event to Remember

The 3^rd Annual CLASSY Awards competition will culminate at a red-carpet awards ceremony on Saturday, September 17 in San Diego, California. It will feature celebrity appearances, chart-topping music talent, nonprofit and technology leaders, and thousands of CLASSY Awards supporters. More than $150,000 in cash and prizes will be donated to support the charitable efforts of the 12 National CLASSY Awards Winners.

This year’s CLASSY Awards weekend will also feature the CLASSY Collaborative, a day-long networking event on Friday, September 16 at the W Hotel San Diego. Participants will have the opportunity to meet, mingle and share ideas with some of the foremost leaders in philanthropy, technology, innovation, and entertainment.

Classy Awards – Page Two

CLASSY Awards partners include: Southwest Airlines, Qualcomm, Bridgepoint Education, NBC Local Media, Huffington Post Impact, NexGen Charity, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Guidestar.org, Legalzoom, HandsOn Network, Young Nonprofit

Professionals Network. For additional information on the competition, event details, and to make your nominations, please visit www.classyawards.org or email.

About Tipitina’s Foundation

The mission of the Tipitina’s Foundation is to support Louisiana and New Orleans' irreplaceable music community and preserve the state’s unique musical cultures. The history of the Tipitina’s Foundation originates from the Tipitina’s music venue, a revered New Orleans cultural icon that continues to be instrumental in the development and promotion of Louisiana music around the world. The Foundation works to support childhood music education, the professional development of adult musicians, and the increased profile and viability of Louisiana music as a cultural, educational, and economic resource.

About StayClassy.org

StayClassy (http://www.stayclassy.org) is the easiest and most affordable way for organizations to raise funds and manage donor relationships online. Based in San Diego, CA, the company develops easy-to-use web-based fundraising software for nonprofit organizations. StayClassy launched its new platform in May 2010, and has over 2,000 customers using its services. It’s free to sign up, making it extremely attractive to small and medium sized organizations on a tight budget. StayClassy is also the host of the Annual CLASSY Awards, a national award show that recognizes outstanding philanthropic achievements throughout the world (http://www.stayclassy.org/classy-awards).

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