Best Place to Work!

I just checked my work email (yes, I'm weird, I do that even when I'm not at work - it's a habit) and found some exciting news! It was in a memo attached to an email, but I'll just copy and paste it here for everyone.


SOUTHWEST HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AGAIN NAMED ONE OF
THE VALLEY’S BEST PLACES TO WORK

Non-Profit Employees Recognize Organization’s Fulfilling Environment Despite Difficult Economy

PHOENIX (December 10, 2009) – For the second year in a row, Southwest Human Development has been named one of the Best Places to Work in the Valley through the Phoenix Business Journal and BestCompaniesAZ annual awards presentation. The accolades follow last year’s honor as the number one recipient in the large business category, as demonstrated through rankings by Southwest Human Development’s employees.

“We appreciate this sustained recognition and are proud of the rewarding environment we have created together,” said Ginger Ward, founder and CEO of Southwest Human Development. “Our employees work diligently and are committed to the mission of Southwest Human Development. It is because of their dedication and outstanding efforts that we continue to stand out in the non-profit business sphere.”

As the state’s largest provider of services for children and families, Southwest Human Development offers its employees the chance to take part in changing lives and impacting thousands of individuals. This growing non-profit provides challenging career opportunities as well as an environment where associates are encouraged to learn, collaborate and engage in activities that further both their personal and professional development.

“Receiving the Best Places to Work nomination is an honor, especially in this difficult economy,” said Janet Otte, director of human resources for Southwest Human Development. “Despite budget cuts and financial stress, our employees keep morale up by focusing on the positive impact we continue to have on thousands of children and families within our community.”

The Best Places to Work award, which was established in 2003, recognizes Arizona companies whose employees rank their respective companies as being the best place to work via a third-party administered survey. The survey covers various parts of employee life, including workplace environment, leadership direction, company culture and management practices. Southwest Human Development was recognized, in part, for their comprehensive benefits plan, 401k retirement plan and ongoing personal and professional growth opportunities.

For more information on employment opportunities at Southwest Human Development, please call (602) 266-5976 or visit www.swhd.org.

About Southwest Human Development
Founded in 1981 as a non-profit organization, Southwest Human Development provides comprehensive services for young children and their families in several areas: disabilities, child health and welfare, Head Start and professional training. Now serving 80,000 children and families each year, Southwest Human Development is the state's largest community-based organization of its type. In 2007, Southwest Human Development became the official Phoenix-area affiliate of Easter Seals. Easter Seals Southwest Human Development provides services to children and adults with disabilities and other special needs, and support to their families. For more information, visit www.swhd.org.

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So that's exciting! I enjoy my work and, while there are definitely things that can frustrate me (as with any job), I know that the mission and goal of the agency puts us all on the same page. It's great to have it recognized - and I even learned some things about my agency from the article.

Hope you all enjoyed learning a little more about where I work =)