Place The Hope 2016 Review – A Night Honoring & Celebrating Those Who Continue To Make A Difference

On Thursday October 13, 2016, the Place The Hope 2016 affair was hosted at the posh event space within Architectural Artifact, located at 4325 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60613. This event was to celebrate and recognize the yearlong efforts and progress made by Children’s Place volunteers, partners, promoters and staff, of the organization who help make a difference in the lives of the world’s most vulnerable children. 

 

Children’s Place International is an organization that helps children overcome extreme poverty by connecting the human and financial generosity of America’s Midwest with leading child serving organizations in Africa and the Caribbean. Children’s Place International and it’s affiliates are extremely focused on investing in health and education initiatives during early childhood andolescene as opportunities to maximize the impact on a child’s future. Over the past year the organization has worked along with their partners in Haiti, Mozambique, Kenya, Botswana, Tanzania and Zambia, which impacted the lives of thousands of children.

 

The evening’s presentation began with welcoming remarks by master of Ceremony, Jerome McDonnell, host of WEBZ radio show “Worldview”.  Program Director, John Sweeney stepped to the podium and gave an update on the progress and strides made through the organizations partnerships. 

 

A few of the partnerships include: AIHA and Takeda Pharmaceuticals, partnership provides a healthcare capacity building in Cancer Care in Kenya and Tanzania. In MOZAMBIQUE, AMODEFA, AIHA and CPI global fellows from the University of Michigan and Stroger Hospital in Chicago, form a partnership to help Mozambican families help their children adjust to and cope with HIV/AIDS. In HAITI, Konbit Lasante, Columbus, Indiana and Zanmi Lasante, partner to help children and families affected by HIV/AIDS in Limonade, Haiti, through home visitation, transportation to the clinic, improved sanitation and provision of supplemental food and clean water. Also in Haiti, Anonymous Family Foundation Chicago and Zanmi Lasante, partner to provide formal education to children, savings groups for parents to launch small businesses and prevention of HIV/AIDS transmission.

 

The first recipient of the Hero Award was professor Gary W. Harper, PhD, MPH, of the University of Michigan School of Health. He is also a member of the board for Children’s Place International. For over twenty years, Dr. Harper has worked to aid the needs of young people who are marginalized by poverty, sexual orientation and race. Harper accredits his focus on his humanitarian efforts to the teachings of his parents.

The second honoree of the evening was James B. McAuley, MD, MPH, DTMAH, M.DIV, of Arizona.  Dr. McAuley is a pediatrician and Global Infectious Disease Specialist who has committed his career to helping underserved populations in the United States and Africa. In 2011, Dr. McAuley began working in Africa with the (CDC) Center for Disease Control and Prevention as a medical officer for (PEPFAR) President’s Emergency Plan For Aids Relief in Zambia.

 

Before concluding the event, Chairman of The Children’s Place Board and President & CEO of The Alford Group, Brenda Asare provided the attendees the opportunity to make a contribution to this great endeavor. This year they are seeking to raise money for emergency support for the children and families affected by HIV/AIDS in Mozambique who are experiencing severe shortages of food due to the drought in Southern Africa.

           

Pledge Host Brenda Asare & Attendee Pamela Brown

           

Mr. & Mrs Sterlin and Mr. & Mrs. Goldman of Tekeda Pharmaceuticals

 

Photographs by LaRita S. Smith