Saturday, January 17, 7pm-12am – Mandarin Oriental, 500 Brickell Key Drive, Miami Brickell
Voices For Children Foundation, a Miami not-for-profit organization advocating for children in foster care, hosted the organization’s 30th anniversary “Be A Voice Gala, Feel the Passion Gala,” presented by Harry Winston, along with Honorary Co-Chairs Brittany and Christian Slater, Gala Co-Chairs Blain and Jill Heckaman, and with WSVN’S Belkys Nerey as evening’s emcee. The host sponsor Mandarin Oriental welcomed over 500 of Miami’s most philanthropic and influential community leaders and dedicated business professionals for the premier annual fundraising event, which this year raised the highest amount of $770,000. $179,000 was raised in donations to the Angel Society, the organization’s annual giving program, also a historic high for the organization.
The evening started with an elegant cocktail reception featuring a silent auction with goods and services donated from national and local luxury brands. Guests enjoyed cocktails courtesy of GREY GOOSE Vodka as well as as well as wine and cava provided by Wine Sponsor Cava Spiliadis, dinner and entertainment. This year’s Gala recognized Miami power couple and longtime Voices For Children Foundation supporters Jeff and Yolanda Berkowitz with the 2015 Humanitarian Award, and guests experienced a special performance by dance phenomenon, Charles ‘Lil Buck’ Riley, a Los Angeles-based dancer from Memphis, Tennessee who specializes in a style of street dance called jookin’. The evening culminated with dinner and a meaningful testimonial demonstrating the work of Voices For Children and the Guardian ad Litem Program. New York’s DJ Kucha provided festive tunes into the late night while continued cocktails rounded out the unforgettable evening and remind guests of their fortunate opportunity to Be A Voice for foster children in our community.
Voices For Children Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that raises funds to help ensure that abused, abandoned and neglected children in the Miami-Dade County foster care system each have a court-appointed Guardian ad Litem and that financial assistance and other resources are available for their health, educational and social needs. #BeAVoiceGala @Voices4Children
Photos by: Julie Pauline
