Today, World of Children Award, a global recognition and funding organization for people specifically and exclusively serving the needs of children as well as setting the gold standard in child advocacy, announced its inaugural 2015 Alumni Honors event, which will take place on Thursday, April 30 at Il Cielo in Beverly Hills, California.
The Master of Ceremonies for the special evening will feature TV Personality, Actress, and CEO of ModernMom, Brooke Burke-Charvet.
Since 1998, World of Children Award identifies changemakers, that create proven, sustainable programs for children, and awards grants to advance their work at an annual awards ceremony in New York City. For the first time since the World of Children Award’s inception, the organization will host an event in Beverly Hills commemorating past honorees who have continued their extraordinary efforts and have gone to great lengths to change the lives of vulnerable children around the world with an Alumni Honors event. The 2015 Alumni Honorees include: Jessica Markowitz (2009 World of Children Youth Honoree) of Richard’s Rwanda IMPUHWE who educates girls in Rwanda; Triveni Acharya (2013 World of Children Humanitarian Honoree) of the Rescue Foundation who rescues trafficked girls from brothels in India; and Dr. Ricardo Bennun (2007 Health Honoree) of Asociación PIEL who provides surgery for children with facial deformities in Argentina.
“Because the World of Children Award does not just fund Honorees, but also educates and elevates them, they gain the capacity to significantly leverage the funding and the Honor,” said Harry Leibowitz, World of Children Award Co-Founder and Co-Chair. “This allows them to build sustainability and to multiply their efforts to serve more vulnerable children.”
The evening will feature a cocktail reception, intimate dinner, and a special program with the honorees sharing courageous stories about their work with children, and the invaluable role World of Children Award has played in their lives. Additionally, exclusive jewelry pieces created by collaborators Heidi Nahser Fink and Adam Shulman of James Banks Design for World of Children Award will be available for purchase with 100% of proceeds going to the organization. The featured items include a Legacy World of Children Award Sterling Silver Lock Pendant and a set of World of Children Award Sterling Silver Cuff Links. For more information on the exclusive jewelry pieces or to purchase online, please visit jamesbanksdesign.com/WOC.html.
2015 Alumni Honors Chairs are Veronica Smiley and Brian Grazer, Rena and Lindsay Conner, and Linda and David Shaheen. In addition, the Event Co-Chairs include Sandy Sholl, Adam Shulman, Adam Freede, Willow and Bertan Kalatchi, Craig Leibowitz, and Kay Isaacson-Leibowitz and Harry Leibowitz.
World of Children Award is led by co-founders Harry Leibowitz and Kay Isaacson-Leibowitz, retired senior executives from Procter & Gamble and Victoria’s Secret, who first started the organization to honor individuals serving children with a Nobel Prize-like award. Since 1998, World of Children Award has allocated millions of dollars in cash grants and program support to over 100 Honorees who are the driving force behind programs serving children worldwide.
