Community Connector Of The Year

 Nominees must be individuals whose service, leadership, volunteer work, advocacy, or community involvement has contributed to the Spokane community over the last year.

Nominees may be connected to nonprofit work, public service, education, local business, neighborhood efforts, volunteer initiatives, or informal community support. A formal title, organizational role, or public platform is not required.

Eligible nominees should show a clear commitment to helping others, connecting people to support or opportunity, and contributing to the community through actions that can be described through specific examples.

 One recipient will be selected as the Helping Hand Award: Community Connector of the Year.

After the nomination period closes, all eligible nominations will be reviewed by a panel made up of community leaders. They will review the information provided in each nomination and identify the nominee whose service most clearly reflects the purpose of the Helping Hand Award. 

The panel will consider the nominee’s connection to Spokane, the examples shared in the nomination, the people or groups affected by their work, and the way their actions contributed to the community over the last year. Strong nominations will include clear examples, not just general praise. The panel will look for evidence that the nominee has helped bring people together, connected others to support or opportunity, responded to a community need, or contributed in a way that others can recognize and speak to.

The selected recipient will be contacted before the event so award details can be confirmed and the event team can gather any information needed for their recognition.

The recipient will be publicly recognized and awarded on stage at Hands Across Spokane 2026 on Saturday, September 12, 2026. Their recognition may also be included in event materials, social media, website updates, and other event-related communications.