Georgia High School Student, Sydney Moss, Earns International Youth Award for Outstanding Fundraising Efforts

CONTACTS:
Natalie Paskoski, Manager of Communications, (434) 236 – 5583, Natalie.Paskoski@afpglobal.org

(Arlington, Virginia) The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) is proud to announce that Sydney Moss, a high school junior from Dunwoody, GA, is one of the recipients of the 2025 William R. Simms Award for Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy, Individual, sponsored by Carter.

The award, sponsored by Carter through the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy, honors young people with a proven record of exceptional generosity, who demonstrate outstanding civic and charitable responsibility and whose philanthropy encourages others to engage on a community, national, and/or international level. Sydney was nominated for the award by the AFP GA, Greater Atlanta Chapter. 

Sydney Moss’s journey in philanthropy is nothing short of remarkable. Sydney was born with biliary atresia (BA), a pediatric liver disease which is currently the leading cause of liver transplants in children. While awaiting her own transplant, Sydney harnessed her ingenuity, drive, and personal musical talent to launch the first of what would become an annual fundraiser for BA, Concert for a Cause. 

Despite being medically fragile and facing the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sydney was determined to use her passion for music to make a difference. She recruited volunteers, identified artists, and even performed herself, ultimately raising $12,000 at her first fundraising concert. 

After a successful transplant, the Georgia teen has channeled the energy from what she describes as a second chance at life, to make the concert an annual event. This grassroots initiative has now raised nearly $60,000 for biliary atresia research at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, but Sydney has no desire to stop there. She has set a goal to raise an additional $40,000, for a total of $100,000, before she graduates from high school next year. 

“I am honored by this recognition and grateful to the people whose generous contributions have helped make my concert a success,” said Moss. “Research funding is so important, especially for rare diseases like biliary atresia, and I hope the money raised will make an impact on BA kids now and in the future.”

Through the newly established Sydney Moss Fund, Sydney hopes to extend her influence beyond her local community, with direct donations to additional organizations to support clinical trials advancing BA research. Her long-term vision includes expanding Concert for a Cause and continuing her advocacy work as a central focus of her future career.

"Sydney has demonstrated remarkable strength and resilience in the face of adversity," said Steve Higgins, president and CEO of Carter. "Rather than turning inward with a challenging and frightening disease, she focused her lifeforce on changing the lives of other children and families affected by BA. It is truly an honor to help showcase Sydney’s generosity and achievements."

“Sydney Moss is the embodiment of what it means to lead with passion, purpose, and resilience,” said Mike Geiger, MBA, CPA, president and CEO of AFP. “Her ability to turn her personal challenges into a movement that impacts so many lives is extraordinary. At AFP, we are inspired by her story and honored to celebrate her accomplishments. Sydney reminds us all of the power of one person to create meaningful change.” 

The award will be presented in Seattle on April 29 during AFP ICON 2025, the largest gathering of fundraising professionals in the world. 

For more information about this award and AFP ICON, please contact Natalie Paskoski at (434)-236-5583 or natalie.paskoski@afpglobal.org 

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Since 1960, the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) has been the standard-bearer for professionalism in fundraising. The association works to advance effective and ethical philanthropy by providing advocacy, research, education, mentoring, collaboration and technology opportunities for the world’s largest network of professional fundraisers. AFP’s more than 26,000 members in over 220 chapters raise over $100 billion annually for a wide variety of charitable organizations and causes across the globe. For more information, go to afpglobal.org. 

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