2013 National Philanthropy Day Honors Miami’s Philanthropic Community

Benefiting Coral Gables Museum

Close to 650 guests joined event chair Karelia Martinez Carbonell and chapter president Patrick Morris as they hosted the 28th annual National Philanthropy Day awards luncheon at Jungle Island. In 1985, the Miami chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals initiated the nation’s first National Philanthropy Day event. Today, more than 50,000 people in 130 countries around the world participate in National Philanthropy Day celebrations. The luncheon pays tribute to Miami’s philanthropic community.

This year, trust company TIAA-CREF joined in honoring Miami philanthropists as the event’s Diamond Partner. TIAA-CREF Trust Company was founded by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The event garnered one of the largest crowds in event history. Guests mingled and visited among Pop Artist Romero Britto’s whimsical centerpieces that spelled out words such as “Dream,” “Joy,” and “Hope.” Cynthia Demos, CBS4 news anchor, served as Mistress of Ceremonies and helped honor this year’s award winners: Roe and Penny Stamps—Lifetime Achievement Award; Bruce and Tracey Berkowitz—Outstanding Philanthropist Award; Jorge Luis and Marile Lopez—Outstanding Volunteer Award; Barbara L. Romani, regional director for Community Development, accepted the Julia Tuttle Award for Community Involvement and Corporate Citizenship on behalf of the Citi Foundation; Michael Spring, Director, accepted the Outstanding Grant Maker Award on behalf of the Miami-Dade Department of Cultural Affairs. Sallie Byrd, chapter past president presented the Joyce Galya Scholarship to Mary Morgan Radcliff.

The event also featured a dynamic video produced by Aaron Glickman with clips from community leaders (representing organizations that nominated the honorees) including University of Miami President Donna Shalala; Barry University President Sr. Linda Bevilacqua; Northern Trust South Florida Region President Edward Joyce; Miami Marlins Foundation Executive Director Alfred Mesa; The Education Fund President Linda Lecht; and Adrienne Arsht Center President John Richard.

Thank you Miami for celebrating philanthropy! Thank you for joining in community to recognize the great contributions that this year’s extraordinary honorees have made to our town, to our state and to the greater good. You are the reason that Florida ranks 4th in the nation in giving. Of the 100 who have signed Buffet and Gates’ “Giving Pledge” at least seven are from Florida and two are past AFP Miami National Philanthropy Day honorees. Thank you!

Guests included Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez; Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court Judges Bronwyn Miller, Migna Sanchez Llorens, Norma Lindsey, Ellen Sue Venzer; Past NPD honorees Ruth Shack, Trish and Dan Bell, Jayne and Leonard Abess, Swanee DiMare, Terry Buoniconti, and Bunny Bastian; also in attendance : CNN Latino TV personality Maria Elvira Salazar, Jennifer Valoppi, Ellen Moceri, Maria Beguiristain, Marianna Martinez, Sergio Gonzalez, Javier Soto, Pablo Cejas, Harve Mogul, Helen Ferre, Daniella Levine, Julia Bianchi, Alicia Cervera Lamadrid, and so many others representing Miami’s philanthropic community.

Platinum sponsors for the event included: Baptist Health South Florida, Comcast, FIU, Marile & Jorge Luis Lopez, Penny & Roe Stamps, The Miami Foundation, WPBT2.

Photos by Sheri Mazariegos

For more information about National Philanthropy Day and AFP Miami, please visit afpmiami.com.

For video, please click here.