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| Lucille O'Neal |
Orlando, FL -- The Orlando
Area Office of UNCF (United Negro College Fund), the nation’s largest minority
education organization, will host its 14th annual Orlando Mayor’s Black History
Month Luncheon on Feb. 17 at the Church Street Station Ballroom.
Hosted by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs, the event will bring
together education, business and civic leaders to celebrate the contributions
of African Americans to the greater Orlando community, and to raise funds and
awareness of UNCF.
Lucille O’Neal
will serve as Honorary Chair and Sandra Jeter will serve as Luncheon Chair.
“I am very excited about
this year’s luncheon and about raising as much funding as possible,” said
O’Neal. “It is our mission to ensure that local disadvantaged students have the
opportunity to realize their dreams of a college education. In order to rebuild
the village that helps to raise our children, we must all join together and
invest in the next generation.”
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| Sandra Jeter |
The 2016 UNCF Champions of
Education Award will be presented to both Robert
Billingslea and John Crossman.
Billingslea, former Vice
President for Corporate Urban Affairs for Walt Disney, is being honored for his
long time service in education. Among his many contributions is his service on
UNCF’s Orlando Leadership Council and as a trustee for UNCF-member institution
Bethune-Cookman University.
Crossman also has a strong
commitment to education in Orlando. He created the Crossman & Company
Endowed Real Estate Scholarship at Bethune- Cookman University to increase the
amount of minorities in real estate. He and his family have also created an
endowed fund in the memory of John’s father, the Rev. Kenneth C. Crossman, which gives annual scholarships to
students.
“We invite all members of
the Orlando community to join us as we raise money to send deserving young
people to college,” said Anita Henri,
UNCF Area Development Director. “Everyone who believes that ‘A Mind Is a
Terrible Thing to Waste, but a Wonderful Thing to Invest In®,” should attend the luncheon. Let’s empower our
young people so they may secure passports to Better Futures® by way of a
college degree.”
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| Orlando Mayor Teresa Jacobs |
For more than 70 years,
UNCF has provided financial assistance to students and its 37 member
historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Without UNCF’s support,
many of the students attending these colleges would not have access to higher
education or the benefits they provide.
UNCF’s luncheon helps raise funds to support
more than 60,000 students a year at more than 1,100 colleges and universities
across America. The majority of UNCF
scholars come from low-income families and are among the first in their
families to attend college.
Across Florida, UNCF
assists more than 6,000 students who attend UNCF member institutions or who
receive UNCF scholarships to attend other area colleges and universities.
For more information on
the 14th Annual UNCF Orlando Black History Month Luncheon, or for sponsorship
packages, please contact Jazmine Barnes
at 407.896.6940, or jazmine.barnes@uncf.org.
For a complete copy of the company’s news release,
please contact:
Beth Payan Larry Vershel
Communications, 407-644 4142 or 407-461 3781 lvershelco@aol.com
Cynetra McMillian
UNCF Communications
202.854.0007
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