This is a a very special Art Story performance by Michael Israel during The Angel Ball to honor everyday angels - donors, volunteers and advocates who help provide opportunities through Unicorn Children's Foundation to ensure people with special needs are given opportunities to grow strong and live a life worth living.
Paintings performed to “We’ll Get By” – Johnny Orr Band and “Hero” – Kendra Erika, a talented young up and coming singer/songwriter recently named “Boca’s Most Fascinating Singer”; and Carlos De Antonis, an Argentinean world-famed opera tenor extraordinaire.
Over $230,000 was raised from the auction in support of kids with special needs and their families. Congratulations to our everyday angels who make our work possible: Arthur Adler of Boca West Foundation, Jeannette Stark, and Rachel Barcellona! Thank you to our generous supporters for making this such a special evening! Finally, Miss Florida Teen USA, Grace Smith, was a well polished Mistress of Ceremonies!
REMINDER: The online auction for The Angel Ball closes tomorrow, Friday, February 26th at 12pm EST. Bidding will continue on most items at the live event on Saturday.
There are many more surprises in store at the event in the auction that you won't want to miss out on!
It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of the tragic passing of Ty Hernandez, the son of Unicorn Village Academy teacher Peggy Hernandez. Please keep the Hernandez family in your thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time.
In lieu of flowers: One of Ty’s passions was volunteering to assist children with special needs and dreamt of one day opening a residential home to assist kids in the local community. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to a scholarship fund, created in his memory, at the Unicorn Village Academy in Boca Raton. This scholarship will allow students with special needs to develop functional academics, life skills, vocational training, and community living experiences at Unicorn Village Academy.
Donations can be made online at www.unicornchildrensfoundation.org by clicking ‘Donate Now’ and indicating the gift is in memory of Ty Hernandez.
The family will be notified of all donations made to his scholarship fund.
Join us at The Angel Ball THIS Saturday for your chance to bid on these "Simply Spectacular" earrings during our Live Auction donated by Gregory's Fine Jewelry. They are 18 kt white gold dazzling diamond open dangle earrings with gorgeous flower clusters. 3.50 carats of beautiful white full-cut diamonds. Value: $10,000
With your support, we will donate Creating Compassionate Children TM toolkits to encourage meaningful change in preschool and elementary school classrooms. These kits will help teachers educate their students to better understand about peers who think, communicate, and learn differently.
Learn more about this campaign at our upcoming Angel Ball at Boca West Country Club on February 27, 2016.
On February 27th, 2016, The Unicorn Children’s Foundation will host its Angel Ball at the Boca West Country Club in Boca Raton, Florida. Proceeds of the evening will support awareness, education, acceptance, and opportunity for children diagnosed with special needs.
Chaired by Gregory Fried & Marie Occhigrossi and hosted by Miss Florida Teen USA Gracie Smith, the evening will feature the acclaimed speed artist Michael Israel, who will be unveiling a new series of art in support of children and their families who are challenged by neurodiversity. The event will culminate with special recognition of our honorees who work every day to support, advocate for, and empower individuals who think, communicate, and learn differently–
Arthur Adler, President of Boca West Foundation, will receive the Rosenbloom Shining Star Award for using his position in life to promote awareness of and offer solutions for the struggles of children and families.
Rachel Barcellona, USA National Miss Central Florida and Miss Tampa International, will be awarded The Occhigrossi Family Youth in Service award in recognition of her exceptional work on behalf of individuals challenged by autism and related disorders.
Jeannette Stark, founding member of Unicorn’s Board of Directors, will receive the Grand Ambassador Award which recognizes individuals for their extraordinary leadership, passionate advocacy of, and long-standing generosity to The Unicorn Children’s Foundation.
Guests will dine while experiencing a variety of entertainment including live musical performances by: Soul Survivors, South Florida’s best live band; Kendra Erika, a talented young up and coming singer/songwriter recently named “Boca’s Most Fascinating Singer”; and Carlos De Antonis, an Argentinean world-famed opera tenor extraordinaire. Angel Ball tickets are $300 per person and may be purchased through the foundation’s website www.UnicornChildrensFoundation.org/Gala or by calling 561-620-9377.
With 1 of every 6 children affected by some form of intellectual or developmental disability, most of us have experienced the challenges first-hand or know someone who has. There are a wide range of opportunities to support the mission of the Unicorn Children's Foundation, including sponsorship opportunities, making donations, or participating in the auction online. A big thank you to this year’s supporters: Gregory's Fine Jewelry, Gail Wasserman Lee and Richard W. Lee, The Meran Group of Wells Fargo Advisors, Mike & Valeria Rosenbloom, Sunshine Health,Simply The Best Magazine, United Capital, Eye On South Florida, The Occhigrossi Family, and the Boca West Country Club.
World-renowned artist Michael Israel can be best described as Cirque du Soleil meets Picasso--an artist, entertainer, and humanitarian whose expression is part David Copperfield, part Jackson Pollack, part Jackie Chan, but all Michael Israel. A leader of the newest art renaissance, flamboyant, rock star sexy and charismatic, Michael electrifies arena-sized audiences with little more than paint and passion.
Michael Israel will be unveiling a new series in support of children and families challenged by neurodiversity.
Michael had recently visited Unicorn Village Academy and was immediately touched by our amazing students. He spent one-on-one time with them and helped them create unique paintings that will be available for auction at our Angel Ball.
You won't want to miss his incredible live performance that everyone will be talking about!
At its onset, the Boca West Community Charitable Foundation serviced four charities. Five years later, the foundation has raised more than $3.2 million for 19 charities.
The foundation was launched in November of 2010 by members of the Boca West Country Club who wanted to give back to Boca Raton and the South Palm Beach County communities. The foundation’s mission is to identify and fund projects to assist area children and their families.
Arthur Adler, chairman of the Boca West Community Charitable Foundation, speaking at the Leadership Breakfast held last month.
“We’re looking to help more children, but we’re also looking to do even more for the children we’re already servicing,” said Arthur Adler, chairman of the Boca West Community Charitable Foundation.
Just before the end of 2015, the foundation brought together 17 leaders from its 19 community nonprofit partners for a Leadership Council Breakfast to discuss unmet needs for area youth and identify strategies for collaboration among the organizations.
Laura Carney, of Florida Atlantic University; Shanna D. St. John, of Nat King Cole Generation Hope; and Connie Siskowski, of the Association of Caregiving Youth, at the Leadership Breakfast hosted by the Boca West Community Charitable Foundation last month.
The goal? Bettering the communication between the charities that share a common goal – to help children in need.
“It’s so important for nonprofits whose work includes helping children to meet and discuss ways in which we can most effectively work together,” said Sharon Alexander of the Unicorn Foundation. “We were delighted to participate in the meeting and hear about additional ways that the Boca West Community Charitable Foundation plans to provide turnkey fundraising opportunities, such as the Concert for the Children (in) April and an over-the-top raffle.”
Another critical initiative which arose from the meeting was the need for a stronger social media presence to increase awareness of the charities under the foundation’s umbrella.
On Jan. 7, the Buzz Agency, a public relations company in Delray Beach, hosted a seminar for the 19 leaders of the charities with the topic: How to enhance your promotions through social media.
The foundation plans more collaborative efforts in 2016 where the different organizations it serves can share and learn from one another.
“The interchange between all parties was just what we had hoped it would be,” Adler said. “We are sure that, moving forward, we will all benefit from what has just begun.”
Also new this year is the addition of three nonprofits to bring its total to 22. The foundation now services the JAFCO Children’ Ability Center, the Junior League and Boca Raton Children’s Museum.
The other 19 organizations are American Association of Caregiving Youth, Boca Helping Hands, Boca Raton Police Athletic League, Boys & Girls Club of Boca Raton, The Caridad Center, FAU Elementary Band Camp, Florence Fuller Early Childhood Development Centers, The Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation, The Giving Tree, Jewish Adoption & Foster Care Options, Jewish Foundation of South Palm Beach County Safety Net Services, KidSafe Foundation, Nat King Cole Generation Hope, Place of Hope at the Haven Campus, SCOPE, SOS Children’s Village, Unicorn Academy, The Wayne Barton Study Center and Youth Activity Center.
Each year, the foundation serves over 5,000 children and its volunteers have given 55,000 hours of their time to the charities with which the organization works.
The foundation provides clothing, food, shelter, increased pre-school options, after-school mentoring programs and summer camps.
A raffle to benefit all the nonprofits was announced at the Leadership Council Breakfast. Raffle items include a $7,500 shopping spree at Saks Fifth Avenue, a seven-day all inclusive vacation at the St. James Club Morgan Bay in Antigua and an eight-day river cruise from Basel to Amsterdam aboard the new luxury ship, the Scenic Opal. Raffle tickets are $100 for five tickets.
Adler is all about moving forward, but looking back, he’s humbled by the number of children the foundation has helped in its initial years.
“The children have been there all this time, it’s our ability to service them is some way which has been so important,” Adler said. “I’ve done a lot of things in my life — worked with the New York Yankees and other large organizations — but these last five years have been the most fulfilling years of my life.”
For more information on the foundation or to purchase raffle tickets, call 561-488-6980 or email amorales@bocawestccorg. The website is www.bocawestfoundation.org.
