Good News - December 2018

OUT AND ABOUT 48 DECEMBER 2018 Good News • South Florida Edition The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Fort Lauderdale/Broward Chapter celebrated the 31st An- nual National Philanthropy Day®Awards at a special lunch- eon at the Signature Grand on Thursday, November 1. Over 500 of South Florida’s philanthropists, community leaders, non-profit organiza- tions, and volunteers gathered on National Philanthropy Day to honor the outstanding philan- thropic leaders. Guests enjoyed a delicious lunch and a heart- warming performance by the Shine Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School choir. This special day was organized to recognize and pay tribute to the great contributions that these philanthropists have made to our lives and our com- munity here in South Florida. The general public nomi- nated these outstanding philan- thropists whose contributions have made a meaningful im- pact in the organizations they serve and the South Florida community. Outstanding Phi- lanthropist Award: Kathy and Ron Assaf ; Outstanding Large Corporation Award: Florida Power & Light Company ; Outstanding Small Corporation Award: Durée & Company ; Outstanding Foundation Award: Moss Foundation ; Out- standing Youth in Philanthropy Award: Joshua Williams ; Out- standing Organization Award: Jessica June Chil- dren's Cancer Foundation ; Outstanding Fundraising Exec- utive Award: Meredith Feder , CFRE – Museum of Discovery and Science; Outstanding Vol- unteer FundraiserAward: Steve J. Halmos ; President’s Award (Creative Impact): Broward Ed- ucation Foundation for their efforts to raise funds post Mar- jory Stoneman Douglas High School tragedy. Leaders Honored During Philanthropy Day Jessica June Children's Cancer Foundation – Outstanding Or- ganization Award. Pictured: Sandra Muvdi , Founder, Presi- dent and Director of Jessica June Children's Cancer Founda- tion, and Gregg Sjoquist , Pres- ident/CEO, The Wasie Foundation. The “United We End Homelessness” initiative an- nounced earlier this year and created by United Way and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, has received a com- mitment from Operation Lift Hope for a second large gift of $300,000. The first $300,000 gift was announced by Mike Jackson, CEO of AutoNation, co-chair of the Broward Busi- ness Council on Homeless- ness (BBCH). Andy Mitchell, Chairman and Founder of Operation Lift Hope and a member of the BBCH, said, “Our $300,000 gift is a match challenge to Broward businesses and or- ganizations to join us in con- tributing to this important initiative. It costs more to help our homeless on the street than it does to help them into housing. That’s a concept easily understood by busi- ness people and we have faith that businesses through- out Broward will match this grant to double the funds that we are contributing”. Operation Lift Hope is a 501 (c)(3) organization that facilitates, funds and influ- ences dynamic change through a collaborative effort involving county, city, faith- based, businesses and serv- ice providers operating in Broward County. Homeless- ness affects everyone in our community and the only way to successfully achieve our objectives is together we col- laborate and implement needed change. “This is the reason we have partnered with the strong and passion- ate leadership of the BBCH and challenge our business community to do the same” Mitchell stated. Funds donated are ad- ministered by the United Way and overseen by the BBCH. The Council is working in con- junction with Broward County Government, which has con- vened a collaborative of pub- lic, not-for-profit/faith-based and business leaders, law en- forcement and city and county elected officials who are com- mitted to ending homeless- ness in the county, beginning with efforts in the City of Fort Lauderdale. All organizations involved are contributing ex- pertise, time and resources to make this happen. The first phase of the project focuses on establish- ing permanent housing units and ancillary services for the chronically homeless in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Future plans include the ex- pansion of permanent hous- ing throughout Broward County that will serve the chronic as well as veterans and families who need hous- ing assistance. Operation Lift Hope will match 100% of all new dona- tions up to $300,000 made to Broward Business Council on Homelessness, now through March 31, 2019. For more in- formation on how to get in- volved, please contact Heather Davidson at HDavid- [email protected] or at 954-308-9277. Andy Mitchell , Chairman and Founder of Operation Lift Hope Operation Lift Hope challenges Broward businesses to match $300,000 gift