National Philanthropy Day Luncheon on Thursday, November 12

Honors Individuals and Organizations Committed to a Better South Florida

Celebrating the 30th anniversary of National Philanthropy Day, the Association of Fundraising Professionals Miami will honor individuals and organizations for their outstanding contributions to South Florida. The National Philanthropy Day Luncheon will take place at Jungle Island on November 12..

James W. McLamore Outstanding Volunteer Awards will be presented to Lewis S. “Mike” Eidson and Ann Machado.

Lewis S. “Mike” Eidson: A fierce trial lawyer who fights for justice, Mike Eidson is equally intent on making our community a better place. With more than 10,000 hours of volunteer service over the past decade, he has advocated for the most vulnerable children in our community by co-founding a campaign to raise money for Miami-Dade County’s Guardian Ad Litem Program; has worked to make Miami a world-class cultural capital as a volunteer leader of the Adrienne Arsht Center of the Performing Arts and the Miami City Ballet; and he has steered billion-dollar development and growth in a once-depressed downtown Miami neighborhood as one of the founding board members of Town Square Neighborhood Development Corporation, a nonprofit organization devoted to creating a vibrant, attractive urban center for Miami. An unrelenting champion of the arts, he also has been a volunteer leader for Art Basel, the Florida Grand Opera, and Cleveland Orchestra Miami. Along with his wife, Dr. Margaret Eidson, his passion extends beyond the arts to such causes as the United Way, Kristi House and the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.

Ann Machado: Recognized as both a dedicated volunteer and savvy business pioneer, Ann Machado uses her influence to bring awareness, resources and funds to support programs for women and girls. As a trailblazer for professional women and a champion of families in need, she has pushed to include women in Miami’s business world and place women’s issues in the forefront. Through her work with Abilities of Florida, she helped provide training to women with disabilities and education for adults with varying ability levels. Machado has provided continual intellectual and financial capital to serve those most in need in Miami-Dade. Machado has been recognized both locally and nationally for her commitment to community engagement and innovative business practices.

Dr. & Mrs. Herbert Wertheim named Outstanding Philanthropists: Dr. Herbert and Nicole Wertheim are true philanthropists in every sense of the word, with nearly five decades as philanthropic leaders in South Florida.

Throughout Dr. Wertheim’s varied career as an inventor, scientist, physician, research clinician, educator, entrepreneur, armed services veteran and community leader, he has remained steadfast in his dedication to the community. Through the Dr. Herbert and Nicole Wertheim Family Foundation, the couple has supported hundreds of educational, cultural, and healthcare organizations through philanthropic support and volunteer leadership. In the field of healthcare, Dr. Wertheim has worked tirelessly to provide medically underserved populations with increased access to quality preventative and family care. The Wertheims’ generous support of higher education has helped FIU expand its academic programs through gifts that helped establish the first and only public medical school in Florida, the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, and bolster its graduate and research programs in nursing at the newly named Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences. The Wertheims continue to have an indelible impact on our community.

Outstanding Grantmaker Award will go to the United Way of Miami-Dade: In the spring of 1924 a small group of civic leaders formed United Way of Miami-Dade – then known as the Miami Community Chest – to raise money for the fledging city’s social service agencies. The idea was straightforward – organize one coordinated campaign to improve the welfare of the entire community. Those first volunteers could hardly have imagined that their efforts would spark a movement spanning nine decades and still growing strong today. The first campaign lasted three days and raised $140,000 for more than 12 agencies. In fiscal year 2014, United Way of Miami-Dade distributed more than $33 million, and today United Way of Miami-Dade is the largest private funder of health and human services in Miami-Dade.

The Miami Marlins will receive the Julia Tuttle Award for Community Involvement and Corporate Citizenship: Now recognized as a pillar in our community for its investment in the city, the Miami Marlins Foundation leads the team’s corporate social responsibility initiative and funds programs that improve the lives of children through education, the arts and baseball. Through countless civic engagement initiatives, marquee events, and programs like the Charity Partner Endowment Fund, the Foundation also invests in nonprofit organizations. Since the opening of Marlins Park, The Foundation has invested more than $750,000 in their charity partners and more than $5 million in philanthropy has been invested in the South Florida community. Marlins Ayudan, its signature outreach program, has provided over 33,000 hours of service and established partnerships since its inception in 2010. The Miami Marlins have also been pivotal partners in building awareness and support for philanthropy in our community through participation in The Miami Foundation’s annual Give Miami Day event.

Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Paul and Swanee DiMare: In the South Florida community Swanee and Paul DiMare have been inspirational philanthropists for decades. Paul J. DiMare is a member of the University of Miami Board of Trustees and the couple served as vice chairs of the University’s Momentum2 Campaign. The DiMare’s support of UM has touched all areas from Athletics to The Miami Project to cure Paralysis, to the School of Education and Human Development, the Miller School of Medicine, and the Frost School of Music. Swanee has been dedicated to a wide range of community organizations including Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden and the American Red Cross. She serves on the national board of Women of Tomorrow, as well as on the boards of the Miami City Ballet and the Adrienne Arsht Center Foundation. Paul is president of DiMare Brothers, Inc. and DiMare Homestead Inc. An active community leader, he is chairman of Florida Farmers Inc., a trustee of the Jackson Memorial Foundation, and serves as a director of the Red Cross of South Florida, the Frost Museum of Science, Camillus House, and The Bouniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis, among others.

Alberto Ibargüen, Knight Foundation, will be named Champion of Philanthropy: Alberto Ibargüen is President, CEO and Trustee of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Through his innovative approach and transformational leadership at the Knight Foundation, Mr. Ibargüen is a beacon in Miami’s nonprofit world as a true champion of philanthropy, partnership, and community-building. The Knight Foundation, which has an endowment of more than $2 billion, operates across three primary program areas: the Arts, Community and National Initiatives, and Journalism and Media Innovation. Under Ibargüen’s leadership, the Knight Foundation has transformed its outreach and grant-making programs by encouraging the participation of smaller organizations, innovators, and nonprofits, and engaging them in creative projects that promote civic engagement, a collaborative spirit, and serve to unite the community. Ibargüen will be honored for his unwavering commitment to Miami, and his leadership in the fields of journalism, community engagement, and support of the arts.