Vancouver, WA – Share will present Prestigious Awards to local community members at the Glitz! Glam! Red Carpet! Gala on Sat. April 27, presented by Riverview Community Bank and supported by A Dog’s Best Friend, and Jo Marie and Steve Hansen.

“As we celebrate our 40th anniversary, Share remains at the forefront to improve the lives of individuals and families who face hunger, are homeless or struggle to find affordable housing. We’ve grown tremendously, through visionary leadership that has allowed our organization to sustainably grow, evolving our programs based on the needs of our community. While we have been a fierce advocate for change, we’ve not done it on our own. At our gala, we will present eight Prestigious Awards to individuals and organizations who have made a lasting impact on the vision of Share,” said Diane McWithey, executive director.

Awards will be presented to:

-Bill & Gene Keuchmann: Bill will be honored posthumously for his vital role as an early board member and Bill and Gene as one of Share’s Founding 40 Members.

-Clark County: Vanessa Gaston will accept an award in honor of the Royal Arms, the first shelter for homeless families.

-John McDonagh: John assumed the mantle of board president during a time of rapid growth, transitioning the board from a working group to policy making.

-Council for the Homeless: Kate Budd will accept an award on behalf of the Council for their 30 years of leadership and advocacy to end homelessness.

-Jo Marie & Steve Hansen: Jo Marie served as a board director and on numerous committees, Steve and Jo Marie chaired the capital campaign for the Share Fromhold Service Center and provided a significant initial donation to start the Capital Campaign.

-Winter Hospitality Overflow Program: Honoring the congregations of St. Andrew and St. Paul Lutheran churches for their commitment to helping those in need during winter’s coldest months.

-Marty Rifkin & Kate Jones: KMR Group Foundation has repeatedly demonstrated their determination to improve equity and quality of life through matching funds and grants to Share.

-Clark County Food Bank: Alan Hamilton will accept an award in honor of the tremendous partnership that supports our Backpack and Hot Meals Programs.

Gala tickets are $125 per person, $1,250 for a table of 10, $1,500 for a sponsor table and can be purchased on-line at sharevancouver.org or by calling 360-952-8223. The event will be held at the Hilton Hotel Vancouver, doors open at 5:00 p.m. Gala guests will enjoy dinner, table wine, silent and super silent auctions, a raffle, entertainment and after party with Northwest native and R&B chart-topping artist Andy Stokes.

About Share

Share was founded in 1979 with the goal of caring for the homeless and hungry in the greater Vancouver area. Share operates three shelters for the homeless, a transitional housing program, Lincoln Place (a 30-unit Housing First model apartment complex), a street outreach program, including a Day Center, a Housing & Essential Needs (HEN) program, provides case management to clients and provides daily meals for the homeless and low-income members of our community. Share also operates a summer meals program for low-income children and a backpack program benefitting 1,680 children at 91 schools to provide food for weekends to children receiving free or reduced-fee lunches. Additionally, Share offers financial programs that incorporate financial education and matched dollars for savings; these programs are designed to assist in the improvement of credit scores and financial management. For more information on Share, visit our Web site at www.sharevancouver.org.

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