Dr. Eduardo Bancalari, chief of Newborn Service at Jackson Memorial Hospital and the director of Neonatology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, will receive The Children’s Trust David Lawrence Jr. Champion for Children Award for his contributions over a 50-year medical career on Friday, June 12, 2015 at the Jungle Island Treetop Ballroom.
Together with other organizations and individuals whose extraordinary efforts have benefitted children and families in Miami-Dade County, Dr. Bancalari will be honored at the 10th annual Champions for Children Luncheon Awards Ceremony, hosted by The Children’s Trust.
Dr. Bancalari contributed to the development of one of the largest and most prestigious neonatal programs in the United States; has helped save the lives of thousands of premature newborns; and trained generations of neonatologists working worldwide.
The Children’s Trust awards ceremony honors individuals and programs for their superlative efforts on behalf of children and families. With an attendance of more than 700, this annual signature event is among the most coveted within the community of child advocates and in all of Miami-Dade County. The ceremony serves to inspire others to follow in the path of the award recipients, who include the following:
- Cecilia Seda for Excellence in Direct Service to Children and Families. A program coordinator for seven years with the Community Coalition’s Wise Kidz program, Ms. Seda has helped hundreds of children on the margins – for reasons of disability, shyness or language limitations – to feel safe and secure, able to thrive in the program, at school and in their lives.
- Liberty Academy Daycare and Preschool, 2015 Program of the Year.Converted from what was once an unsafe structure used for illicit purposes, Liberty Academy is now one of the county’s premier early childhood education facilities. Its transformation epitomizes the power of change that this state-of-the-art childcare center represents for one of Miami’s most historically under-served communities.
- Amigos For Kids Strengthens Families and Communities Program, 2015 Program of the Year.This community-based, culturally and linguistically sensitive program helps parents and caregivers break the devastating cycle of child abuse and neglect, while providing complementary support service for their children. The parenting component provides relevant, effective education and support to encourage an optimal environment to strengthen families and promote healthy well-being for all.
- Touching Miami with Love Today’s Leaders Youth Development Program, 2015 Program of the Year.This youth enrichment program supports young people in Overtown and West Homestead to develop essential life skills that buffer them from the negative influences of their communities. This innovative empowerment program supports youth as the key agents to transform communities, helping them to meet their personal goals and thereby strengthening the social fabric of the greater community.
Complete bios of each award recipient are available upon request. The Jungle Island Treetop Ballroom is located at 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Miami, FL. Reservations are $45.00 per person and a table of ten is $400. For more information or to make your reservation online, visit www.thechildrenstrust.org. The event runs from noon – 1:30 p.m.
The Children’s Trust is a dedicated source of revenue established by voter referendum to improve the lives of children and families in Miami-Dade County.
