Mary's Center Announces Co-Chairs & Award Honorees of 2016 Annual Gala, Noche Tropical: Un Carnaval

    WASHINGTON, DC, July 08, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Mary's Center has recently announced David Velazquez, President and CEO of Pepco Holdings, and Pedro Alfonso, Chairman and CEO of Dynamics Concepts, Inc. as Co-Chairs of its annual gala Noche Tropical, to be held on October 28, 2016 at the Washington Hilton Hotel.

Velazquez and Alfonso are known for their deep commitment to helping communities in need. With the assistance of the gala's steering committee, Velazquez and Alfonso will spearhead Mary's Center effort to raise $550,000 to continue to support individuals and families with vital services and programs that will help them overcome their life challenges and move up the economic ladder. As gala Co-Chairs, Velazquez and Alfonso will help increase the event's visibility and encourage participation in Mary's Center's biggest fundraiser of the year.

"We are privileged to have David Velazquez and Pedro Alfonso as co-chairs of our gala this year," says Maria Gomez, Mary's Center President and CEO. "With their profound understanding of the community we serve and the needs to be met, I'm confident that we will have one of our most successful galas in history."

With the theme, Noche Tropical: Un Carnaval, Mary's Center's guests will enjoy a truly festive and memorable evening to celebrate the Center's achievements during the past year and to reaffirm our collective commitment to fulfill the Promise of Tomorrow for families and individuals throughout our region. This year, Mary's Center will add a full-service center in the Fort Totten neighborhood of Ward 5 in DC. This has been made possible through a partnership with Briya and Bridges Public Charter Schools, with Mary's Center providing on-site health, dental, behavioral health and social services to the schools and the surrounding community.
During the gala, Mary's Center will honor the region's most distinguished partners who work tirelessly to provide opportunities for the Center's participants and neighbors to build a better future.

The Early Childhood Champion Award will recognize the PNC Foundation for its dedication to removing literacy gaps that plague underserved communities, thereby ensuring that every young child in the DC region is prepared for their educational career. The PNC Foundation's laser-sharp focus for the past decade has ensured that children and their families throughout the area reach their fullest potential. Michael N. Harreld, Regional President of PNC Bank for the Greater Washington Area, will accept the award on behalf of the PNC Foundation.

The Health Partnership Champion Award will recognize two organizations: AmeriHealth Caritas, DC's largest managed care provider, and The Naomi and Nehemiah Cohen Foundation (NNCF), a leading family foundation dedicated to social justice and reproductive health. This multi-sector collaboration has guaranteed young women affordable access to family planning tools, empowering them to lead successful lives and accomplish audacious dreams. Karen Dale, President of AmeriHealth Caritas DC, and Diane Solomon Brown, M.D., President of NNCF will jointly accept the award.

The Oral Health Champion Award will honor MAXIMUS, Inc. and the MAXIMUS Foundation for its support of an often ignored but critical health service. MAXIMUS partners with government to make health programs run effectively for citizens, enabling families to access important health services. Support from MAXIMUS and the MAXIMUS Foundation throughout the years has helped ensure more vulnerable children and adults can make dental care a part of their routine practice of wellness. Richard Montoni, Chief Executive Officer of MAXIMUS will accept the award.
This year, Noche Tropical: Un Carnaval will take place at the Washington Hilton, where 500 guests will enjoy a cocktail reception, seated dinner, live and silent auctions, dancing to live music by Orquesta Sin Miedo, and a Rum and Cigars bar.

To purchase tickets or make a donation in honor of Co-Chairs David Velazquez and Pedro Alfonso, please visit http://www.maryscenter.org/gala. For information on sponsorship opportunities, please contact Emily Dreckshage at 202-420-7001 or [email protected]. Follow Noche Tropical on social media using #MCGala.

About Mary's Center

Founded in 1988, Mary's Center is a federally qualified community health center that provides health care, educational and social services to more than 36,000 individuals from over 110 countries whose needs too often go unmet by the public and private systems. Mary's Center uses a holistic, multipronged approach to help each participant access individualized services that set them on the path toward good health, stable families, and economic independence. For more information please visit http://www.maryscenter.org

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