One of Durant’s most prominent nonprofit organizations has been recognized in the state as one of the top 24 Oklahoma nonprofit organizations.

Big Five Community Services, Inc. was recognized as one of the state leading nonprofits and is now in the running for top nonprofit in the state at the 2013 Oklahoma Nonprofit Excellence (ONE) Awards that will be held on April 20.

The awards are given each year by the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits. Almost $150,000 will be awarded to Oklahoma nonprofits during the ONE Awards. The Overall winning organization will receive $10,000.

Big Five Administrative Assistant LaVonna Staggs said this is the first year the organization has participated in the event.

Big Five Services was notified that it was one of the 24 finalists for the ONE Award approximately a month after submitting their presentation to the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits in January.

Finalists are determined by a selection committee comprised of community leaders from across the state. Finalists are put into one of eight categories from which category winners and the overall winner are determined.

Categories include Art and Humanities, Community, Education, Health Services, Self-Sufficiency, Seniors, Sports and Recreation and Youth development.

Big Five Community Services qualified in the Community category.

Finalists will gather at Tulsa’s Southern Hills Country Club on April 20. Winners from all categories and the overall winner will be announced at that time.

The overall winner will receive $10,000. Category winners will receive $7,500. Other finalists from the eight mission categories receive $5,000.

Big Five serves Bryan, Carter, Coal, Love and Pontotoc Counties with nearly 30 different services ranging from tax preparation and financial assistance to child care and transportation.

Two of Big Five’s services that are well known in the area are the SORTS transportation and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). Staggs said some of the services provided by Big Five also extend outside of the five primary counties.

“We have so many different programs,” said Staggs. Some of the organization’s programs do not receive government or grant funding. These programs have no funding aside from donations and money generated through fund-raising events said Staggs.

Staggs said that these programs are where the money will be focused should the organization win the ONE Award.