“Looking at resilience and looking at empowerment, it is the heart and soul of Families First,” shares Patricia Whatley Showell, Atlanta community leader and the agency’s former CEO, who will be honored with the Legacy Award on May 12. Families First will gather civic, philanthropic, corporate and individual partners at the Georgia Aquarium to celebrate Ms. Showell’s call to social work and a career that emphasized the values that still drive the organization today.
Emceed by CBS46’s Jennifer Valdez, the event joins co-chairs Teresa Rivero of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Ivan Shammas of Univision Atlanta, Peter Williams of BlackRock Atlanta and honorary chair Bentina Terry of Georgia Power in the Families First drive to innovate and build resilience families and equitable communities.
Patricia reflected, ”I think one of the things that has made this organization unique is that it has always responded to changes in the community. I think it’s a part of the legacy and the tradition of the agency to identify and be on top of the changes that are occurring in the community and to make sure that our programs are not only responsive but are ahead of the curve.”
Dining for a Difference will also highlight community change agents who understand the power of resilience to make lasting change. Mary Yates, community advocate and longtime Families First supporter, will be honored with the Montag Family Volunteerism Award for her caring spirit and continued support.
Mary said, “I think with our resilient initiative, Families First has found its highest and best approach to helping families in crisis. To me, it is giving our clients a bear hug of services that tackle their biggest barriers to success while helping them build resilience. When we work together with our clients and other nonprofits to get our clients what they need, the family and our community win.”
In addition to Patricia Showell and Mary Yates, the annual event will recognize the followings:
● Wendy Stewart, President, Global Commercial Banking, Bank of America who will be honored with the Community Impact Award for her work with The Grove Park Foundation to bring together the community to tackle the systemic issues of poverty, along with her service with the Metro Atlanta Chamber, Leadership Atlanta, Woodruff Arts Center, and Atlanta Committee for Progress.
● Kevin Greiner, President & CEO, Gas South who will be honored with the Social Equity Award for his leadership at Gas South focuses on children’s initiatives that create a more equitable future, along with his determination to create exceptional career paths for his employees.
● Dallas Smith, Founder, President & CEO, T. Dallas Smith & Company who will be honored with the Making a Difference Community Service Award for his focus on creating a diverse business and network of service providers to create innovative businesses and thriving communities.
Dining for a Difference is supported by amazing corporate partners who allow Families First to expand our community connections to ensure families in crisis get the continuum of care they need to thrive, today and for generations to come. Thanks to the investment of presenting sponsors Georgia Power Company and Gas South and Inc., as well as Chick-fil-A, Cox Enterprises, Bank of America, UPS, TruRating, Georgia-Pacific LLC, Lucy Carpenter Vance, Univision, Synchrony, Wells Fargo, PNC, Publix Super Markets Charities, Verizon, Montag, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, Driver Automotive Services, Truist, Jabian Consulting and The Home Depot, Families First’s Dining for a Difference on May 12 will help children, parents and guardians become resilient when facing challenges.
This is sponsored content.
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