About
The Social Worker Appreciation of Greatness (SWAG) Foundation is a nonprofit organization rooted in a simple truth: social workers are the backbone of our communities—and they deserve more. More support. More recognition. More opportunities to grow and thrive.
We exist to uplift social workers by providing professional development, wellness resources, and intentional recognition through programs designed with their realities in mind. Whether it’s helping someone pass their licensure exam, hosting a wellness retreat, or honoring unsung heroes at our annual SWAG Awards, we’re here to ensure social workers feel seen, supported, and celebrated.
SWAG Foundation
Licensure / Professional Development
- Exam study resources
- Financial assistance for licensure fees
- Leadership development workshops for mid-career professionals
- Internship program for current students
Wellness &
Self-Care
- Quarterly wellness workshops, annual conferences
- Peer support groups and mental health access
- Digital wellness library filled with guided tools, best practices, and resources
Recognition
& Celebration
- Annual SWAG Awards to honor outstanding social workers
- Quarterly Social Worker Spotlight features
- Community events that publicly recognize their invaluable work
Advocacy &
Visibility
- Campaigns to promote fair compensation and workplace equity
- Partnerships to inform policy and practice
- Storytelling initiatives that showcase the human impact of social work
What We Do
We focus on four areas to support and celebrate social workers
The S.W.A.G (Social Worker Appreciation of Greatness) Awards Ceremony was created following the online celebration of historical African American social workers during Black History Month and the online recognition of local social workers during National Social Work month by Vitamin C Healing. Vitamin C Healing outreached community leaders in healthcare, education, non-profit, and social services to request submissions of local social workers who have used their platforms to affect positive change and healing in the Greater Pittsburgh communities. We were able to utilize social media outlets to recognize 19 social workers in the Greater Pittsburgh area who were nominated by their peers for their selflessness, integrity, compassion, competence and commitment to the social work profession. We also hosted an intimate gathering in March, 2019 to recognize and celebrate these social workers with certificates of appreciation.
The mission of the annual SWAG Awards ceremony is to celebrate the heart work of social workers, often overlooked and undervalued, who embody servant leadership by championing advocacy, social justice, generational healing, and community empowerment.
The S.W.A.G Awards
Sharise Nance, (also known as the Compassion Fatigue Lady) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, Compassion Fatigue Specialist, Adjunct Professor, Award Winning Entrepreneur and Author. She is the co-owner/founder of HandinHand Counseling Services, LLC, a private outpatient mental health practice dedicated to promoting hope, health and healing to individuals and families dealing with situational and generational obstacles. Throughout the past two decades of her career as a social worker, she has experienced episodes of compassion fatigue. These experiences challenged her commitment to the profession and inspired her to invest in healthier self-care practices. In 2016, Vitamin C Healing was created to focus on the holistic wellness of helping professionals.
The mission of Vitamin C Healing evolved to promoting life balance, satisfaction and fulfillment to helping professionals struggling with compassion fatigue and burnout. In just under three years, Vitamin C Healing has offered live workshops to local and national non-profit organizations, social service organizations, community mental health and universities to address self-care neglect, work-life balance, compassion fatigue and burnout.
About Sharise Nance
What is SWAG?
S.W.A.G: Social Worker Appreciation of Greatness Awards mission is to honor the “heart work” of local social work heroes that is oftentimes unappreciated and unrecognized. The goal of the annual SWAG awards ceremony is to recognize social workers in the Greater Pittsburgh Area who exemplify servant leadership through their commitment to promoting advocacy, social justice, generational healing and building stronger communities.
When was SWAG established?
The S.W.A.G (Social Worker Appreciation of Greatness) Awards Ceremony was created in March 2019 following the online celebration of historical African American social workers during Black History Month and the online recognition of local social workers during National Social Work month by Vitamin C Healing. The inaugural event was held virtually in March, 2022. The annual S.W.A.G awards ceremony will be held each March in honor of National Social Work month.
Who is eligible for the SWAG award?
SWAG award candidates must reside and practice in the Western Pennsylvania region including neighboring counties within a 20 mile radius, hold a degree in social work (Bachelors, Master’s Doctorate), 3 years of experience in the social work field, and uphold the social work core values.
How do I submit a quality nomination for the SWAG Awards?
When submitting a SWAG nomination, make sure you have as much information on the nominee as possible. Take time to read the nomination form and if you are struggling to elaborate on your nominee’s contributions to the profession, ask them or someone who has more information on their work. Also, take the time to highlight their professional experiences, including specific examples of how they have exemplified servant leadership. Share specific examples of how your nominee has helped change the trajectory of the social work profession For example, a response of “this social worker deserves to be nominated as a SWAG awardee because they have dedicated 10 years of service to the profession” is not enough. “This social worker deserves to be nominated as a SWAG awardee because they have dedicated 20 years of service in the profession advocating for ______, volunteering ______, leading _______ paints a bigger picture of their passion, service, and commitment to the social work profession.
How are SWAG Awardees selected?
Each year, the selection committee uses a point system process to select 7 social workers along with up to 3 specialty social work awards who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to uphold the social work core values of human relationships, dignity and worth, competence and integrity, social justice and service.
When are nominations?
Nominations generally open each year in September and close by the end of October. Visit https://www.theswagawards.com/nominate to nominate a social worker.
