March 2018
Fallon Health has signed on as the presenting sponsor for the Annual Safe Homes Gala and People of Courage Awards to be held at the new AC Marriott on May 4 in Worcester, according to Ken Bates, President and CEO of The Bridge of Central Massachusetts. Fallon has served as Presenting Sponsor for the past six years, according to Bates.
“We are incredibly honored to have this level of support from Fallon for this important event honoring champions of the LGBTQ community,” said Bates. “It is a testimony to their support for inclusion and for vulnerable members of our community,” he added.
“The Bridge of Central Massachusetts serves so many important needs of our community,” said Dave Przesiek, Chief Sales Officer at Fallon Health. “Safe Homes is one of their stand-out programs, and we are pleased to support this important event which honors its mission and those who help champion it.”
Award recipients for this year’s event include Youth Award: Rhys Stuller, Safe Homes Peer Leader; Collegiate Award: Nathan Manna, College of the Holy Cross; Public Service Award: Senator Michael Moore; Health Equity Award: Dr. Diane Blake, Professor of Pediatrics and Co-Director of the Youth Gender Program at UMass Memorial Health Care; Media Award: Kristen Eck, WBZ Traffic Reporter, WBZ Copter; Corporate Award: Saint Gobain Abrasives; Volunteer Award: Peter Bacchiocchi, President of Worcester Pride; and Social Justice Advocacy and Action Award: Craig Miller, Mass. Coalition for Suicide Prevention.
Also sponsoring the event are Gold Sponsors: Hanover Insurance Group and FMC Ice Sports; Silver Sponsors: Fidelity Bank/The Shine Initiative and eHana; Bronze Sponsors: College of the Holy Cross, Mirick O'Connell, National Grid, UniBank, Avidia Bank, Alexander, Aronson, & Finning, CPA; Wings Over Worcester, RE/MAX Vision.
The event, which sells out every year, will be held on Friday, May 4, 2018 beginning with a VIP Reception with greeter Senate President Harriette Chandler, followed by a reception, dinner, awards, silent and live auctions, and entertainment by Dale LePage. For tickets or to sponsor, visit www.safehomesma.org
Safe Homes is a program of The Bridge providing a Drop-In Center and peer-led services and supports for LGBTQ youth ages 14-23. The program serves over 300 youth per year, providing leadership development, educational support, peer support and mental health counseling at no cost to participants. The program is supported by grants from The United Way of Central Massachusetts, Greater Worcester Community Foundation, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and others.
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For more information:
Lorie C. Martiska, Vice President of Advancement or Lynn Cummins, Director of Advancement
Lorie.martiska@thebridgecm.org or lynn.cummins@thebridgecm.org
(508) 755-0333