25th Anniversary Summary

MCC’s 25th Anniversary Celebration

The Hyatt Regency at Penn’s Landing was the venue for a sensational and very successful event. The evening sparkled with silver and MCC purple. Guest enjoyed an incredible Silent Auction, with hundreds of amazing donations.

The Program was hosted by NBC 10’s Renee Chenault-Fattah, who spoke of MCC’s 25- year history of strengthening families and introduced MCC’s new Family Voices video.

MCC Executive Director JoAnne Fischer shared MCC’s vision as we mark this milestone and acknowledged the 25th Anniversary Champions Pat & Diane Croce, Jim & Andrea Thome, Eric & DeShawn Snow and Carol Haas Gravagno, who have been extraordinary supporters of our work.
 

Pat Croce led a very lively Live Auction, where very generous bidders left with very exciting auction packages.

MOMobile families joined our Champions and 25 People to Celebrate - to sing Happy Birthday and Feliz Cumpleanos to MCC to cap off a long-awaited and extremely successful event. Guests took home the 2005 Family Album, which tells the story of MCC’s 25 years of strengthening families, one baby at a time.

The event raised over $120,000 to help advance MCC’s mission. Many thanks to our generous donors, our Silver Stork Society and our 25th Anniversary Sponsors. Take a look at 25 Reasons to Support MCC to find out how we make a difference in the lives of families in our community and how you can help!

MCC’s 25th Anniversary Champions

Leading Us Into The Future

As MCC moves into the future, we are fortunate to have these very special supporters on our team. They have helped advance our mission by increasing our visibility and by contributing generously to our organization. They have exemplified personal philanthropy and have rallied others in the community to join them in helping to strengthen families…one baby at a time.

Carole Haas Gravagno

Creating a Challenge

Carole began her support of childbearing families as a childbirth instructor and volunteer nursing-mothers counselor in the 1980s and has been a passionate advocate of parenting education ever since.  Always seeking more allies for parenting programs, she provided the initial seed money to test a Mother’s Day fundraising appeal which has evolved into our signature, Celebrating Mothers campaign. And for our 25th anniversary this year, Carole challenged us to raise the bar, by providing a matching grant for new donors. An advocate at heart, Carole is always there to challenge policies that will hurt children and families; and to challenge others to respond.

DeShawn Snow and Family

Our Team Captains
What a winning connection for MCC, when DeShawn found us on the Internet. Representing NBA wives and new to Philadelphia, she was looking to give to an organization that helped pregnant teens, her particular passion. MCC’s commitment to fathers aligned with husband Eric’s widely acclaimed fatherhood initiative and their support of MCC became a family affair. DeShawn became honorary chair of our Celebrating Mothers campaign and joined MCC’s board of directors.  DeShawn ‘s tenure on MCC’s board coincided with the pregnancy and birth of two babies, but the Snow family always found time to promote MCC through the media and NBA -- and helped us make many new friends, like the 76ers. We miss having the Snows in our community, but we’re so grateful they’ve remained a part of our family.

Diane Croce and Family
Our Motivational Coaches
Who knew that one of DeShawn’s guests – at a benefit she hosted – would turn into one of MCC’s best friends?  While attending the party at the Snows’ home, Diane immediately felt at home with MCC. She had devoted herself to motherhood and as an empty nester was now in a position to help other moms: she’s been spearheading our Celebrating Mothers campaign ever since. Turning MCC into a family venture, she recruited the PR and marketing expertise of her husband Pat and daughter Kelly.  Diane brings her creativity, energy and charisma to MCC projects throughout the year and has succeeded in attracting many new supporters and volunteers.  We can’t lose, with the passion and winning spirit of the Croce family behind us.

 Andrea Thome and Family

Rallying Support

New to our team, Andrea stepped into MCC’s starting lineup during her first season in Philadelphia, by taking on the position of Celebrating Mothers Chair in 2004. By rallying the support of husband Jim, daughter Lila, the Philadelphia Phillies and other Phillies wives – Andrea stepped up to the plate and hit a grand slam for mothers and babies. A former TV News anchor, Andrea promotes our mission with professionalism and conviction.  The Thome family PSA was a big hit with our local media and when it played on the Phillies fan-o-vision during an MCC-dedicated game, which helped raise money for MCC and hopes for families in our community!

25 People to Celebrate!

In our 2005_Family_Album we celebrate 25 extraordinary volunteers and colleagues who have made a big difference to MCC, advancing our mission and helping us to grow and thrive.

Our Founders

Ed Sparer

Louise Brookins

Dr. Walter Lear

Sister Teresita Hinnegan

Board Leaders

Dale Allen

Dr. Nathalie Bartle

Jose “Pepe” Garcia

Linda McAleer

Mary Posner

Community Outreach and Education

Dr. Vinod Bhutani

Reverend Sandra Brown

Joanne Fenner Craig

Janet Ohene Frempong

Rabbi Nancy Fuchs-Kreimer

Dr. English Willis

Public Affairs & Advocacy

Loraine Ballard Morrill

Dr. Al Pizzica 

Barbara Plager

Carol Rogers

Dr. Walter Tsou 

Public Policy

Dep. Sec. Harriet Dichter

Sec. Estelle Richman

U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz

U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter

Sen. Connie Williams

Silver Stork Society

These Generous Donors Have Invested in MCC’s Future:

Add your name to this list with a gift of $2,500 or more by June 30, 2006. 
Membership benefits include invitations to special events and recognition on a
plaque at MCC's main office.

Sponsors

A special thanks to the following sponsors whose support made the event possible.

Silver Anniversary Presenting Sponsor

Citizens Bank

Silver Anniversary Partners

CIGNA

Comcast

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare

Silver Anniversary Sponsors

Alusiv

Campbell Soup Foundation

eXude Benefits Group

First Financial Group/Mass Mutual

Goldenberg Rosenthal LLP

Independence Blue Cross

Mellon

Melissa Paul Ltd.

Pepper Hamilton LLP

Renaissance Floral Interior

Riegel Printing

Tierney Communications

Here are 25 Reasons to Support MCC 

• The MOMobile® brings caring support to families in need.
• Our energetic staff and volunteers are committed to making a difference.
• We help pregnant women get early and regular prenatal care.
• Our Cribs for Kids program helps babies sleep safely.
• We spread the message: “Babies were born to be breastfed.”
• Kids need checkups and immunizations – and we make sure they get them.
• We supply necessities like diapers, food and clothing.
• The Family Gift Connection brightens children’s holidays.
• Early Head Start supports children’s optimal development.
• Our smoking cessation program helps moms “kick the habit.”
• We encourage a healthy lifestyle: good nutrition and physical activity.
• Through Family Start, we help new moms transition “from welfare to work.”
• Our environmental health initiative “gets the lead out” to make homes safer.
• We help families apply for Medicaid, Food Stamps and childcare.
• Neighborhoods throughout the region know and trust the MOMobile®.
• Parent Outreach Meetings offer a chance to share and learn.
• Our Professional Education Series links emerging research to policy and practice.
• We bring the voices of low-income families to policymakers.
• Our research and evaluation efforts demonstrate our success.
• On Mother’s Day, our Celebrating Mothers cards deliver gratitude.
• Our award-winning student interns are tomorrow’s leaders.
• We work with local and national media to increase public awareness.
• We rally support for issues critical to the health of families and communities.
• We’re a nationally known and honored organization with a 25-year history.
• Together, we help strengthen families, one baby at a time.

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