Wednesday night at Park City Community Foundation’s Grants Celebration, the organization awarded Patty Garcia its Trisha J. Worthington Community Service Award, which it has given out annually since 2015.
“Patty Garcia has been giving back to the community through her job in the nonprofit sector for over 15 years,” a press release reads. “She has been a connector for countless families seeking access to resources as well as a tireless advocate for the needs of Latinx community members. She also has continued to work on closing disparities, both in her professional and volunteer roles in the community.”
Garcia is the patient access director for the People’s Health Clinic, a board member of PC Tots and Mountainlands Community Housing and a mother of four. The foundation said she is known for her dedication, advocacy and passion for creating accessible and inclusive opportunities when it comes to health care and child care locally.
The foundation will also grant $1,000 to a local nonprofit organization that Garcia will choose.
Worthington, the award’s namesake, was the founding executive director of the foundation, which accepts nominations for the award from the community each August. Its Community Fund Steering Committee reviews and decides on those nominations.
Garcia, who’s lived in the area since 2009, received several nominations this year and last for the award, the foundation said, noting that those who nominated her pointed out how she has supported the Latinx community and how her contributions have “inspired others within the organizations to continue their work, ensuring that the positive changes she initiated will endure long after her direct involvement,” according to the foundation.
“Patty has a heart of gold and is a tireless champion for child care and health care,” said Sue Banerjee, executive director of PC Tots. “Despite working full time and raising her own children, she finds time to support the community through formal and informal ways. She is there to connect people to services and give advice. Her volunteer work with PC Tots has helped the organization bring its services to people who desperately need it. She has not hesitated to speak in front of local government bodies to say how important childcare is for working families. She has been a voice for many who otherwise would not be heard.”
Past Worthington Award awardees can be found at parkcitycf.org/trisha-worthington-award