The inaugural Long Island Imagine Awards will be held Tuesday, May 7, 2013, 5:30pm-9:30pm at the Crest Hollow Country Club, Woodbury, NY. This gala event was created to offer formal acknowledgement to some of Long Island's most effective and innovative nonprofit organizations. Of the 20 finalists, five outstanding nonprofits will be selected to win a $5,000 grant.  Kristin Thorne, WABC-TV,  Long Island correspondent will serve as MC.

The Long Island Imagine Awards has been the vision of event Chair Ken Cerini, Cerini & Associates, LLP, for over 10 years. "The Long Island business community now has a mechanism to recognize the good work of the nonprofit sector and reward them for their innovation, leadership and sustainability." said Cerini.

Nonprofits that are recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)3 organization and are located and serve in either Nassau or Suffolk County applied to win $5,000 in one of the following five categories. Finalists listed below.

Cerini & Associates Award for Social Impact - This award will be given to a nonprofit that measures success not just by meeting its mission, but by affecting the surrounding community. Impact goes beyond the number of children served, shelters provided, and mouths fed. Impact looks at how the organization impacted the Long Island community as a whole, and how it measured these results.

• EAC, Inc.
• Island Harvest
• Long Island Housing Partnership, Inc.
• Mental Health Association of Nassau County, Inc.

The Frank G. Zarb School of Business at Hofstra University Award for Innovation - This nonprofit has been innovative in adopting new platforms that have led to a significant increase in the organization's ability to meet its mission. This could include the implementation of technology that enables the organization to achieve cost savings and better communication; a strategic approach to fundraising; a unique and effective public relations campaign; etc.

• America's Vet Dogs K9 Corps
• Family Service League
• FREE
• Long Island Crisis Center

Capital One Award for Social Entrepreneurism - This award will be given to an organization that achieves its primary social or environmental mission using business methods. The organization will exhibit original ideas brought to fruition with predominantly private support, rather than in response to government funding.  

• Big Brothers Big Sisters Long Island
• Cure MS Foundation of NY, Inc.
• Independent Group Home Living
• UCP of Nassau County

The Claire Friedlander Foundation Award for Rising Star - This award will recognize a nonprofit generating under $2 million in revenue for its outstanding innovation, impact, and achievements in meeting its mission. The award will be given to an organization who demonstrates an outstanding record of sustained achievement, has successfully demonstrated successful financial performance, and has built a reputation for excellence within the community.

• Lymphatic Research Foundation
• Momma's House
• i-tri: Transformation Through Triathalon
• Wyandanch Homes & Property Development

Nixon Peabody Award for Leadership Excellence - This award recognizes an exemplary nonprofit leader (who may be an Executive Director, board member, staff member, volunteer, etc.) whose accomplishments have advanced his/her organization. The leader must work in and reside in either Nassau or Suffolk Counties. This is not about traditional volunteering, directors, or funding, but focuses on innovation in driving organizational change and social impact.

• Center for Science Teaching & Learning
• Cinema Arts Centre
• Homecoming, Coming Home LI
• Hope House Ministries

Sponsorship and ticket information are available online www.ceriniandassociates.com/imagine-awards. Tickets are $100 per person. For more information on applications, tickets and corporate sponsorships contact Hillary Needle at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 516-993-4056.



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Cerini & Associates, LLP, Certified Public Accountants, is proud to announce that 2013 marks 20 years on Long Island, New York. In 1993, Founder Ken Cerini started C&A out of his garage with a different vision of what an accounting firm and its staff should embody in how they served their clients.

Now, twenty years later, C&A has a staff of over 30 full and part time employees, including four partners, 12 CPAs, and several members with advanced degrees, including MBAs and masters in taxation--all providing services to over 1,500 clients. In January 2013, Timothy McHale became the fourth Partner in the firm alongside Ken Cerini, Eliatt Di Lieto and Matthew Burke.

C&A has a high level of employee satisfaction, low turnover and the ability to recruit talented professionals. Staff consistency allows C&A to minimize staffing changes which helps to reduce costs to clients and ensures long-term relationships.

The employee growth and low turnover has allowed C&A to receive several recognitions including: “Best Accounting Firm to Work For” by Accounting Today, the “Reverend Monsignore Thomas J. Hartman Humanitarian Award honoring Accounting Excellence on Long Island” by the Advancement in Commerce, Industry and Technology Association, the Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility (2008-2012), and many other staff level awards and recognitions.