MIAMI –The American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ), a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting Jamaican charitable and social initiatives, will host its 4th Annual South Florida Gala and Auction on May 10, 2008 at the Ritz-Carlton in Coconut Grove, Miami.
The gala will celebrate the American Friends of Jamaica’s network of support provided by American multinational corporations with commercial interests in Jamaica, American winter residents, members of the diplomatic corps and Jamaicans at home and living overseas.
The AFJ once again shines the spotlight on philanthropists with exemplary contributions to the island. This year, AFJ is proud to present the 2008 International Humanitarian Award to Father Richard Ho Lung, Founder and Director of the Missionaries of the Poor, and Mr. Phillip Gore, Chairman of Gore Developments, for their significant contributions to Jamaica.
“At the core of our mission is service and philanthropy,” says Ambassador Sue Cobb. “I am pleased to honor the work of these two distinguished gentlemen in contributing to Jamaica’s development,” commented Amb. Sue Cobb, AFJ’s current president and former U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica.
Surrounded by desperate poverty in Kingston, where the poor suffered greatly, Father Richard Ho Lung felt the call to respond radically to the needs of the poor in Jamaica. In 1981, he founded a religious community of men who would dedicate their lives to the service of the rejected and the destitute. Today the Missionaries of the Poor has grown internationally with a presence in the Philippines, Haiti, and Uganda, and Father Ho Lung has become a Jamaican institution.
Known for his strong leadership, Phillip Gore has earned a well-respected reputation during a career spanning over 35 years in the construction industry. He has served as Chairman and President of the Jamaica Developers Association and the Incorporated Masterbuilders Association. He is the President of Tennis Jamaica and Chairman of Gore Developments Ltd, one of the leading developers of affordable housing in Jamaica. He and his wife, Christine, sponsor a program which offers scholarships to young tennis players in Jamaica who have the aptitude, but not the means, to pursue higher education, whether locally or overseas.
Past AFJ honorees have included Chris Blackwell, American fashion icon Ralph Lauren and his wife, Ricky, Rep. Charles Rangel of New York, Sandals’ founder Gordon “Butch” Stewart, Canada’s Michael Lee-Chin, the Jamaican-born billionaire, philanthropist, and high-profile investor, Grace Kennedy, Former President Ronald Reagan and Diageo, to name a few.
In addition to fundraising through special events such as the gala, the AFJ has a comprehensive strategy involving individual giving and partnerships with corporations and foundations such as the Tiger Woods Foundation, Jockey International, Grace Kennedy Limited and Western Union International.
The gala will include a reception, dinner, entertainment by A Touch of Steel, Suzanne Couch and Sparkles Disco. The night will also feature a silent and live auction led by auctioneer William Tavares-Finson and showcasing items ranging from luxurious Caribbean packages to fine art.
For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.theAFJ.org/gala.
