Chicago, Illinois – Casa Central honored Governor JB Pritzker, State Senator Omar Aquino, Bank of America and Allstate at its 65th Anniversary Awards Gala at the Chicago Hilton on Friday, October 11, 2019. The annual event is hosted to honor individuals and organizations for their commitment to supporting the Casa Central mission and the families and communities it serves across the Chicago Metropolitan area. Over 400 business, community and civic leaders attended this year’s event. Casa Central’s 2019 honorees received the following awards;
- Governor JB Pritzker, Changemaker Award. Honored for his contributions to strengthen Illinois’ social safety net and for driving one of the most ambitious and consequential legislative agendas in state history, during his first legislative session.
- State Senator Omar Aquino, Pastora San Juan Cafferty Legacy Award. Honored for being a strong advocate of Chicago’s Latino older adult population and for his efforts, during the Illinois legislative session, to ensure the state is providing the necessary funding to support safety-net programs that benefit our community.
- Bank of America, Corporate Partner Award. Honored for being a strong supporter of Casa Central and its mission. For over 20 years, Bank of America has provided financial support, in-kind donations and volunteer hours to help Casa Central serve communities across Chicagoland.
- Allstate, Community Builder Award. Honored for the financial and in-kind support it has provided Casa Central, its programs, volunteerism, and the communities it serves.
“Our honorees embody the spirit of service and giving that have guided Casa Central’s mission for the past 65 years,” said Martin R. Castro, President and CEO of Casa Central. “We are pleased to be able to recognize each of them for their commitment to Casa Central, our community and the families we serve.”
This year was a special celebration for Casa Central, as it marked the organization’s 65th anniversary. To help commemorate the event, this year’s Gala theme honored the traditions of the Quinceañera—the age-old Latino tradition signifying coming of age. The event was co-emceed by Stacey Baca, News Anchor at ABC 7 Chicago and Enrique Rodriguez, News Anchor at Univision Chicago. The evening included special performances by recording artist and finalist on The Voice, Jamella Perkins, Grammy-nominated Angel Melendez and Orchestra and the Mariachi Son De Fuego.
65th Anniversary Annual Awards Gala Sponsors include: BMO Harris Bank, ComEd, Allstate, ABC 7, Bank of America, Humana, Carstar International Auto Rebuilders, MHOA Chicagoland, HBK Engineering, Baker McKenzie, Peoples Gas, Crowe, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, North Park University, Mars Wrigley Confectionery, Rush University Medical Center, Univision Chicago, Combined Insurance.