2024 Unsung Hero Award: Sandy Giardi

By Kalie VanDewater

Unsung Hero Award

Sandy Giardi

Director of Communications
The Home for Little Wanderers

Communicating with donors, supporters and other members of the community is critical to achieving any nonprofit’s mission. However, the polished content and messaging that gets shared with constituents requires a lot of effort to deliver — which sometimes goes unrecognized.

At The Home for Little Wanderers, the oldest child welfare agency in the United States, the communications team comprises three people, with Sandy Giardi, director of communications and recipient of NonProfit PRO’s Unsung Hero Award, leading the way.

Each year, the nonprofit serves more than 15,000 children through more than 30 programs in the Northeast. To meet all communication needs for this work, Giardi spearheads content creation, writing and editing, thereby shaping the voice for the organization and its leadership, according to her nominator.

“The volume of content Sandy produces is extraordinary, with each piece meeting the highest standards and captivating our audiences,” her nominator told NonProfit PRO. “Every year, she produces dozens of articles for external donor newsletters, over 20 employee newsletters, annual reports, calendars, speeches, direct mail campaigns, blog posts and more.”

In fact, her efforts and collaboration have turned the employee newsletter into a regular publication, as well as transformed the nonprofit’s intranet, which saw a 9% increased employee engagement year over year.

To support the high quality of her work, Giardi spends much of her time speaking with clinicians and clients to educate herself on the work being done so she can craft a story that accurately reflects each youth’s experiences and wishes. By doing so, she has developed trust-based relationships with clients.

“One client who had simply been interviewed by Sandy likened her to an aunt — a nod to the warmth and understanding Sandy exudes to all those she works with,” her nominator said. “She’s also successfully helped turn clients into top donors and board members just from the time she invests letting their story be heard and shared.”

This year, the content Giardi has created has been key in raising nearly $2 million through a direct mail campaign. She also contributed to the success of The Home for Little Wanderers’ fundraising gala, not only because of the connections she has built with the nonprofit’s constituents, but also because of the sincere and heartfelt script she created for the event’s speakers.

“Sandy’s impact on The Home, our staff, our clients and our business cannot be overstated,” her nominator said. “She embodies the five core values of our organization: commitment, respect, diversity, integrity and teamwork. In every project, Sandy collaborates across all levels and areas of our organization with the same dedication and respect. Whether interviewing clients who have experienced significant trauma or producing content for internal communications, Sandy masterfully balances empathy with storytelling, ensuring that the voices of those we serve are heard in impactful ways that articulate the vital work of The Home.”