Hundreds of guests packed Guastavino’s restaurant in midtown Manhattan on December 10th for the 1199SEIU Child Care Fund’s (CCF) annual Care for Kids Awards Gala.

The event, co-chaired by CCF president Vivian Fox--representing 1199 president George Gresham—and League of Voluntary Hospitals president Bruce McIver, raised over $250,000. (Gresham was en route to South Africa to participate in the tributes honoring Nelson Mandela.)

The Care for Kids Awards Gala was established to help support the nonprofit Child Care Corporation’s educational and developmental programs for our children and their families as well as for the larger community. This year’s gala was chaired by Amalgamated Bank interim CEO Gabriel Caprio and emceed by Gus Rosendale, of WNBC 4.

The gala highlighted the 20th anniversary of the Future of America Learning Center. A special feature on the exceptional early childhood education provided at the Learning Center was presented, and the crowd acknowledged the leadership of Dr. Bonnie-Lou Mallonga, the center’s chief operating officer.

McIver and 1199 Secretary-Treasurer Maria Castaneda presented an away to Lee Perlman, president of GNYHA Ventures, Inc. They spoke of Perlman’s humanitarian efforts in the wake of disasters such as Super Storm Sandy, the earthquake in Haiti, and the most recent devastation in the Philippines.

This year’s other honorees were Richard R. Buery, Jr., president and chief executive officer of The Children’s Aid Society; and Angela Diaz, MD, MPH, director of the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center.

For more information regarding Child Care Fund and Corporation program offerings, please visit www.1199SEIUFunds.org/ccf or call (212) 564-2220.