MCW Gala Brings Together Key Industry, NGO and Government Leaders to Celebrate the Organization’s Mission of Global Youth Empowerment

MCW GALA BRINGS TOGETHER KEY INDUSTRY, NGO AND GOVERNMENT LEADERS TO CELEBRATE THE ORGANIZATION’S MISSION OF GLOBAL YOUTH EMPOWERMENT

Ninth Annual Gala raises almost $900,000 to support MCW’s programs.

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK, April 19, 2013 – MCW, a New York-based non-profit organization dedicated to empowering youth to become positive agents of change in their communities, celebrated its fourteenth year of activity at its ninth annual gala held at New York University’s Kimmel Center on April 9. The organization honored prominent individuals and organizations that share its mission and help sustain its programs through their personal leadership and philanthropic support. The event raised almost $900,000, a record amount that will directly support MCW’s leadership, community development and oral healthcare efforts in the United States and across Africa.

Edward Bergman, MCW Co-founder and President of the Board of Directors, said, “We remain deeply grateful to those individuals and organizations who both inspire and support MCW in our efforts to empower young people from a wide range of backgrounds to contribute to their communities. Our partners, whom we honor tonight, have enabled us to create opportunities for improving the quality of life of so many people. Thank you.”

The 2013 event, attended by over 400 guests, included a silent auction Attendees also had the opportunity to purchase hand-woven baskets, wood carvings and tie-dyed, hand-sewn bags from MCW’s community centers in Rwanda and Zambia.

The MCW Community Partnership Award was presented to AON, a global provider of risk management services, insurance and reinsurance brokerage as well as human resource consulting. After introductory remarks from John Catsimatidis, Chairman and CEO of the Red Apple Group, Dr. Pamela Newman, President and CEO of The Newman Team at AON, accepted the award.

The MCW Leadership Award was presented to Broadway’s Carol Woods, who recently wrapped up her role as Matron Mama Morton in the musical Chicago. She also performed two musical numbers for the crowd. William Thompson, Jr. New York City’s former city comptroller presented the award.

The MCW Appreciation Award was presented to The Claire Friedlander Family Foundation in recognition of its support of tolerance education, Holocaust remembrance, the arts and healthcare. Peter Klein, the Foundation’s president, accepted the award. Eduardo Martinez, who last year accepted the same award on behalf of UPS, presented the 2013 award to Klein.

MCW’s highest achievement, the MCW Lifetime Achievement Award, was presented posthumously to Dr. Mitchell Pines, a professor at New York University’s College of Dentistry who participated in MCW’s early oral health outreaches in Tanzania and mentored hundreds of students in areas including infection control, cariology, comprehensive care and biomaterials. Dr. Pines’s children accepted the award on his behalf.

Ali Velshi, who was recently appointed as Al Jazeera America’s first host, once again emceed the event.

About MCW

MCW (Miracle Corners of the World) is a non-profit organization founded in 1999 with the vision of Local Change through Global Exchange®. Our mission is to empower youth to become positive agents of change in their communities. Based in New York with affiliates in Africa, MCW offers the following programs: Leadership Training, Community Centers and Oral Healthcare Improvement, as well as Partner Initiatives (MCW Jacqueline’s Human Rights Corner and the Container Project). For more information visit www.mcwglobal.org.

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