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View Winners → Foothill Unity Center Golden Plate Awards salute leadership, grassroots fundraising, corporate volunteerism, faith-based collaboration
Monrovia Weekly Apr 01, 2014
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A leading CEO, a neighborhood party giver, a bank with heart and a collaboration rooted in faith will be honored at Foothill Unity Center’s 2014 Golden Plate Awards on Saturday, April 26, at The Trinity Ballroom in Pasadena. Up to 400 guests are expected for the Fabulous ‘50s themed evening, which will feature a showing of classic ‘50s cars from Street Rods Forever, jukebox music, silent and live auctions and more.
“This year’s honorees embody the spectrum of ways local people can have an impact on their communities,” said Center CEO Betty McWilliams. “We’re exceptionally proud to honor them all.”
Cynthia Kurtz, who will receive the Heart in Hand Humanitarian Award, is president and chief executive officer of the San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership. She was previously City Manager for the City of Pasadena, and serves on the board of directors of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Despite her demanding professional life, Cynthia finds time to be deeply engaged in the community. Among many involvements, she chairs the Villa Esperanza Community Board and co-chaired its Capital Campaign; sits on the Advisory Board of the University of La Verne School of Public Administration; serves as vice chair of the Finance Committee of First United Methodist Church of Pasadena. She has also served on the boards of Pacific Asia Museum and the Pasadena Foothill YWCA.
Colleen McEvoy, the 2014 Neighbors Helping Neighbors/Volunteer honoree, loves a great party. Fifteen years ago, she and her Sierra Madre neighbors decided to follow their first-ever summer bash with a holiday edition. This time, she said, they’d charge admission: a toy. The event garnered not only toys, but a tidy sum of cash. A friend suggested giving it to Foothill Unity Center. On meeting Colleen, Executive Director Joan Whitenack persuaded her to join the Auxiliary. She began spearheading regular Center benefits. As attendance grew, she decided to focus on the Holiday event. It started bringing in over $10,000 a year, even though admission has always been “give what you can.” McEvoy says, “It makes me feel so good when people tell me they never felt they could make a difference, since they didn’t have much to give — but our party gave them a way to feel they’d helped.”
Simplicity Bank, honored with the Neighbors Helping Neighbors/Corporate Award, is committed not only to serving its communities, but participating in their well-being. Last year, 116 Simplicity Bank volunteers contributed 669 hours to Center projects, all of which their company supported financially as well. During the spring National Association of Letter Carriers Food Drive, Simplicity teams turned out at three post offices. In August, they worked every shift of our Back to School, Thanksgiving and Holiday Distributions, setup to cleanup. “Simplicity shows up — not just with numbers, but with enthusiasm, hard-work, and a genuine concern for others,” says Center Executive Director Betty McWilliams. “We value their partnership — and we’re impressed by their leadership.”
Simplicity volunteers
Four local Jewish organizations, Temple Beth David, Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center, Weizmann Day School and Jewish Federation of the Greater San Gabriel and Pomona Valley — have steadfastly expressed their faith’s central concepts of giving tzedakah (helping somebody) and tikkun olam (repairing the world) through their many works on behalf of the Center’s families. At the Temple and Center, collection barrels are always out, and paper bags are distributed to gather contributions during High Holy Days. Support of the Center is encouraged, and regular volunteer efforts and food drives happen throughout the year. Even as they are jointly honored with the Center’s Neighbors Helping Neighbors/Faith Based award, these groups’ good works and monetary contributions quietly continue.
Tickets to the Golden Plate Awards are $150. Sponsorship opportunities start at $2,000, with special recognitions including ads in the Tribute Program. Ads may also be purchased separately. Donations to the silent and live auctions valued at $100 or more will be acknowledged in the program. For more information, visit www.foothillunitycenter.org.
About Foothill Unity Center
Founded in 1980, Foothill Unity Center is the primary provider of food, case management/crisis help, and access to health care resources across eleven San Gabriel Valley cities. As the federally designated Community Action Agency for the Foothill Area, it operates two locations, in Monrovia and Pasadena, serving clients in Pasadena, Altadena, South Pasadena, Sierra Madre, Arcadia, Monrovia, Bradbury, Duarte, Azusa, Baldwin Park and Irwindale. 77% of clients are at or below the National Poverty Level. The number of people it serves has more than tripled over the last five years, making community funding contributions and volunteer support more critical than ever.
