SWAG: Social Worker Appreciation of Greatness Awards

04/16/2026

Social workers—quick reminder.

Registration closes at 12PM for today’s Su***de Assessment training.
If you’ve been thinking about joining, this is your window.

Official SWAG Alliance Foundation training event details and sign up

04/15/2026

The Swag Alliance Foundation was just awarded a $60,000 grant from the Staunton Farm Foundation!

If you know us from the SWAG Awards, you know we celebrate the heart work of social workers.

What started as just a space for recognition has grown into the SWAG Alliance Foundation—our nonprofit focused on supporting the workforce behind the work.

This is more than exciting; it’s personal.
This work was never just about recognition; it’s always been about access.
Access to supervision.
Access to licensure.
Access to opportunities that too many helping professionals have to figure out on their own.

So this funding allows us to do something I wish existed earlier in my own journey—and something I know is still missing for many:

• Help cover licensure exam costs
• Offer low-cost to no-cost CEU trainings
• Create real opportunities for helping professionals to be paid speakers and facilitators
• Support exam prep groups and mentoring spaces
• Provide group clinical supervision toward licensure

All right here for social workers and helping professionals living and serving in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

This isn’t just a program rollout. It’s infrastructure.

Grateful for the partnership with Staunton Farm Foundation and even more committed to what comes next.

If you’re a social worker in Southwestern PA and have been looking for support around licensure, supervision, or professional development we’re building this with you in mind.

And for organizations, partners, and funders who care about strengthening the helping professional workforce; this is the kind of work we’re continuing to grow.

Learn more: www.swagfoundation.org

04/06/2026

Our inaugural SWAG Organization of the Year, Steel Smiling

📽Ricco Jl Martello

WATS GOING ON PITTSBURGH... COURTNEY ABEGUNDE MANAGING DIRECTOR AT STILL SMILING DURING HER INTERVIEW WITH US.

04/02/2026

2026 SWAG Entrepreneur of the Year, Kristy Joy

📽Ricco Jl Martello

WATS GOING ON PITTSBURGH... KRISTY JOY WEIDNER, ONE OF 2026 S.W.A.G. AWARDS HONOREES. KRISTY JOY WEIDNER, S.W.A.G. HONOREE DURING HER INTERVIEW WITH US.

04/01/2026

2026 SWAG Awardee Dr. Kathi Elliott

📽 Ricco Jl Martello

WATS GOING ON PITTSBURGH... 6TH ANNUAL S.W.A.G. AWARDS DINNER 2026.S.W.A.G. IS SOCIAL WORKER APPRECIATION OF GREATNESS WAS CO-FOUNDES BY SHARISE AND BILL NAN...

03/31/2026

2026 SWAG Awardee Dr. Toya Jones

📽Ricco Jl Martello

WATS GOING ON PITTSBURGH... DR TOYA JONES INTERVIEW AND SPEECH AT THE 6TH ANNUAL S W.A.G. AWARDS DINNER.THE S.W.A.G. AWARDS ARE AN AWARDS GALA FOR SOCIAL WOR...

03/28/2026

This is what it looks like when we celebrate the people who hold everything together.

The rooms.
The stories.
The systems.

SWAG Awards isn’t just about recognition; it’s about restoring the people doing the work.

If you’ve been in this room, you felt it.
If you haven’t… we’ll see you next year.

🎥: CWL Creatives

03/26/2026

This is SWAG.

Not just a night of recognition…
but a community that shows up for each other in real life.

SWAG Fitness Day was all about connection, movement, and taking a moment to reset and OJ Macklin-Fitness brought the ENERGY 🔥

From the awards stage… to spaces like this—
we’re building something that goes beyond one event.
The people doing the heart work deserve spaces like this too.
If you’ve been part of SWAG, you already know.
If you haven’t yet… you’ll feel it soon.

03/24/2026

Tomorrow.

SWAG Fitness Day.

This isn’t just about getting a workout in.
It’s about releasing what you’ve been holding.
The stress.
The tension.
The constant pushing through.

For one hour, you get to move, breathe, and reset. No pressure. No expectations.
Just space.

If you’ve been saying you need a moment… this is it.

Spots are still available. Come as you are.

https://www.theswagawards.com/event-details/2026swagdayfitness

03/22/2026

The work is being seen beyond our own platforms.

Grateful to the New Pittsburgh Courier for covering the 6th Annual S.W.A.G. Awards.

Not for the visibility alone, but because it reflects something bigger:
Social workers deserve to be recognized in spaces like this.

Not just internally.
Not just once a year.
But publicly. Consistently.

📎 Read + view here:

THE 2026 S.W.A.G. AWARDS HONOREES, WITH SHARISE NANCE STANDING THIRD FROM RIGHT. (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO) The New Pittsburgh Courier was there as the 6th Annual Social Worker Appreciation of Greatness (S.W.A.G.) Awards celebration was held, March 7, 2026. The event was held at the Sheraton Hotel St...

03/19/2026

We celebrate…and we reset too.

As part of SWAG Day and Social Work Month, we’re hosting a SWAG Fitness Day on March 25.

A space to move, release, and take care of the body that carries so much.

If you’ve been in the room with us before, you already know the energy.

Spots are still available—come join us.
🔗 https://www.theswagawards.com/event-details/2026swagdayfitness

OJ Macklin-Fitness