One Hope United’s 5th Annual Gala, Hope In Action: Why I Have Hope
One Hope United’s 5th Annual Gala, Hope In Action: Why I Have Hope, Features The Glee Project Alum Mario Bonds, May 3, 2019 at Hilton Chicago.
Guests will hear inspiring stories of hope and courage while enjoying a night of entertainment, dining and giving back.
CHICAGO — One Hope United, one of the country’s leading human services nonprofits, presents its 5th Annual Hope In Action gala, Friday, May 3, 2019 at the Hilton Chicago, featuring Mario Bonds, a national entertainer whose life symbolizes the meaning of hope. The 6 p.m. Why I Have Hope gala (5:30 p.m. VIP reception) is in the Hilton’s Grand Ballroom, 720 S. Michigan Ave.,. Tickets available at http://www.onehopeunited.org/hopeinaction.
Blind by the age of 10 and a survivor of childhood trauma, Mario Bonds is a motivational speaker, published author, singer-songwriter, and breakout star of NBC Universal’s The Glee Project. Bonds’ unforgettable and powerful performance in song is living proof of how anyone can rise to meet any challenge.
Born with a degenerative condition that destroyed his eyesight, Bonds faced abuse, homelessness, and abandonment, yet, he never suffered from hopelessness. In his memoir, Without Sight but Full of Vision, Bonds describes how through hard work, perseverance, and personal responsibility we can all become “master of our destinies.” Bonds, who was adopted at the age of 16, is a licensed foster care provider in the process of adopting two teenage boys.
Also during Hope In Action: Why I Have Hope, One Hope United will honor extraordinary individuals who support the organization’s mission to provide every family and every child a “life without limits.”
They include 96-year-old volunteer Nannie Crudup, honored with the fifth annual Ermit Finch Impact Award. Crudup is one of One Hope United’s most committed volunteers, giving her time nearly every school day for the past 26 years, helping the staff and three- to five-year-old children at One Hope United’s Bridgeport Child Development Center.
Patrick Kingston, Customer Development Manager at Tyson Foods will be recognized with One Hope United’s Chairwoman’s Award for his commitment to community advancement, empowering nonprofits, and inspiring leadership. Veteran One Hope United executive Todd Schultz, President of Restoration Ministries, will be honored with The President’s Award for his commitment to nonprofit stability, transparency, and leadership.
Guests at Hope In Action: Why I Have Hope will enjoy cocktails, a seated dinner, and the chance to bid on a wide variety of auction items. VIP ticket holders can meet Mario Bonds at a private reception preceding the gala.
“One Hope United is thrilled to welcome Mario Bonds, who understands the challenges and traumas that many of our clients face, and whose resilience is an inspiration and a testament to the types of services we provide,” says new President and CEO Dr. Charles A. Montorio-Archer.
“We’re also excited to add a new twist this year by debuting Hope After Dark, immediately following our gala at Hilton Chicago,” Montorio-Archer adds. “The after-event experience is the perfect complement to Hope In Action for supporters who might not typically attend a gala but love dressing up for a great cause.”
Hope After Dark, from 10 p.m. to midnight, is presented by One Hope United’s Chicago Ambassador Board and features a selection of beers, wines and cocktails, as well as live house and dance music provided by DJ Lady D. Hope After Dark tickets ($100) can be purchased in advance at https://onehopeunited.org/hopeafterdark, or when guests arrive at the Hilton Chicago Grand Ballroom. All tickets for the Hope In Action: Why I Have Hope Gala ($300, $400 VIP) include admission to Hope After Dark.
“Many young professionals have told us they want to support our event, while at the same time living within their charitable giving budgets,” says Mike Carpenter, One Hope United’s Chicago Ambassador Board Chair. “The Hope After Dark party appeals to a new and broader audience of donors and we hope it will become one of the highlights of the Spring gala season.”
WCIU TV reporter and host Jon Hansen will serve as Hope In Action’s Master of Ceremonies. Hansen is an Emmy-nominated reporter and a talk show host for WGN 720 AM and can be seen on WCIU’s The Jam and Now.Chicago.
Tickets for Hope in Action: Why I Have Hope are available here.
Tickets for Hope After Dark are available here.
One Hope United would like to thank the following Why I Have Hope sponsors for their support:
Daniel George Architects Grant Staff, Inc. Michelle Damico Communications StrateBen Ultimate Software
Continental Benefits. Terra Properties WT Group
About One Hope United
One Hope United is a private human service organization that offers a diverse array of prevention, intervention and community-based programs including early education, foster care, adoption, residential, and other support services. What began in 1895 as a children’s home in Chicago now serves 9,000 children and families each year in Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Florida and employs nearly 800 passionate and talented professionals. For more information, please visit http://www.onehopeunited.org.
