Rolling Out the Red Carpet for Your Honorees

Not all events require honorees. The point of your event is to tell your story, galvanize your supporters and raise support for your work. But if honoring longtime supporters and advocates helps build this case, we encourage our partners to be strategic, selecting people who exemplify or amplify your work.

Metropolitan Family Service (MFS), a culturally responsive nonprofit helping people move beyond the limitations of poverty, chose an honoree for their 10th annual A Gathering of Good that demonstrated the impact of their work and the people they serve.

The Madres de Corazón (Mothers of the Heart) started with a few moms who came together to support each other, advocate for their kids and provide a grassroots parent group working in Portland schools.

 

 

At this year’s A Gathering of Good, the Madres de Corazón were the VIPs. The families—kids and padres included—arrived before the event on a bus. Each of the Madres were dressed in black with a bright purple scarf. MFS provided childcare for children throughout the program, hosted the group at 2 front-row tables and even included one of the father’s bands as the entertainment.

 

As a group, the Madres received the 2018 Eileen Johnson Award, inspired by the woman whose legacy launched A Gathering of Good. The special appeal speaker, Erika, was one of the mothers in Madres de Corazón. Her family’s story includes an MFS kindergarten readiness program and financial planning through an Economic Empowerment Program. Telling Erika’s story demonstrated the impact of MFS’s work on one family in particular.

 

 

If you’re thinking of including an honoree at your event, think about the Madres of your organization. Celebrating the Madres was a great strategic decision for MFS because not only did it increase the audience’s connection to the celebration and the 10th anniversary of A Gathering of Good, it also amplified the MFS story and mission in an authentic and powerful way.

Videos by Sisbro Studios