Child Care Professionals Network, a nonprofit organization founded 25 years ago by John Sperduto, has won a Greater Philadelphia Social Innovation Award.

Sperduto is the director of Neumann’s Child Development Center.

According to the Social Innovation website, the awards “honor our region’s most passionate social innovators, entrepreneurs and changemakers whose work and social impact too often goes unacknowledged.”

Awards are presented annually to the top three winners in 11 categories, which include behavioral health, workforce and economic development, equity and justice, innovative partnerships, and social investing.

The CCPN won third place for education entrepreneurship. The category recognizes innovative ideas that develop new ways to advance education in novel and meaningful directions.

First place went to Dr. Amy Lynch of Temple University. The Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library System finished second.

Sperduto describes CCPN as a non-profit organization, the purpose of which is to improve the quality, affordability, and accessibility of early and school-age childcare and education in Pennsylvania.

The group provides professional development and conferences, a resource center for parents and educators, first aid and CPR certification, fire safety training, emergency preparedness training, and supports for subsidized childcare and PA childcare certifications (PDE/DHS/OCDEL/OEM/DOH).

The Greater Philadelphia Social Innovation Awards accepts nominations from the public in all 11 categories for organizations and individuals in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties. Public voting determines the winners.