Potomac Almanac

The recent fundraising gala for Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless surpassed the organization’s goal.

"It went incredibly well," MCCH Executive Director Susie Sinclair-Smith said. "It was an incredible opportunity to look back. We had some board members join us who have been here from the beginning, when MCCH was a true coalition without the programming we have now. It was a very, very successful event."

“Home is Where the Heart is,” the MCCH’s 25th anniversary gala, had been postponed due to snow. Sinclair-Smith said the snow delay did not put a damper on attendance or money raised for the now $11-million organization.

The MCCH's mission is to provide solutions to end homelessness in Montgomery County, offering both shelter and more permanent housing solutions for the homeless community.

Sinclair-Smith said attendance at the April 23 event was also a raging success. Where last year's gala had 220 guests, the 25th anniversary gala boasted of 380 attendees.

Three of these attendees where guests of honor, who had exhibited exceptional commitment to the MCCH over the past year and beyond.

U.S. Rep. John Delaney was presented with the Distinguished Service Award for his personal and professional commitment to ending homelessness. Laura Cecala was presented with the Distinguished Volunteer Award. Samaritans4Homeless, a local Hispanic activist group, was presented with the Distinguished Partner Award.

Delaney, who also delivered a speech about the MCCH's efforts to end homelessness for veterans, said he was extremely honored to accept his award. "My wife and I have had long standing engagements with lots of organizations in the community that take care of those that are left behind," he said. "This includes the real tragedy that is homelessness. I have always stood by this, not only as an elected official, but also in my previous life as a businessman and a philanthropist."

Delaney has supported the MCCH legislatively as well as with a more personal touch.

"I have spent time at the facilities and have been part of raising awareness of what they are doing," he said. "I want to make sure they get more resources and that is one thing I want to do because this organization is dependent upon financial support not only from individuals but from the county. I want to be helpful in that regard, and I support legislation that is utilized by the coalition. They really do God's work."

Cecala, vice president of Inside Mortgage Finance Publications, Inc., has been a long-standing board member and has been involved with MCCH for 15 years. From serving meals at the men's emergency shelter to planning and sponsoring events, Cecala has had a major role in MCCH programming.

Over the past decade plus, Cecala and her husband went from participating in MCCH’s annual Shelter Walk ‘n Roll event, which raised awareness for the MCCH and its mission, to sponsoring the event with Inside Mortgage Finance Publications, Inc. She has been on the development committee and served as a board member for seven years.

Cecala said she is so humbled and honored to be recognized by such an impactful organization in Montgomery County. "I thought and know there are many people who MCCH could have been chosen for this," she said. "We have so many amazing volunteers, and it makes me proud. I have contributed to the growth of the organization and it is wonderful. The people who work there, and the staff, are truly so dedicated and care so much about what they do. That in itself is humbling and I am very proud to be a part of this organization. Every organization goes through struggles and growing pains but MCCH has weathered that tremendously well. It is the board and people having faith we will get through them so we can march on."

In her more than decade of dedication, Cecala has seen MCCH grow far beyond the coalition it was founded as 25 years ago. "The growth has been amazing," she said. "The founder, Sharan London, had this incredible vision. Then, she recognized all the different types of people and the kinds of housing they needed — the mentally ill to the people who have health issues and to people who are just down on their luck. In the last three to four years, we have taken off and expanded programming."

Marta Bohorquez, of Samaritans4Homeless, accepted the Distinguished Partners Award. With Samaritans4Homeless, she organized a multi-cultural fashion show last October to raise money and awareness for the non-profit.

"I came up with the idea where people in the community were models, as well as some real, experienced models," she said. "It involved people in the community that care about situation of the homeless. There were three people that experienced homelessness personally that were models."

She worked hard to execute the production using professional experience in her home country, Ecuador.

"I had my own modeling agency in Ecuador and hadn't done any fashion shows since moving to the U.S.," she said. "I thought it was a great idea and thought there was such need. It was very, very special."

Involved with the MCCH since last year, she said she is both excited about and humbled by the award that was presented to her at last week's gala.

"I don't feel worthy of it, because there are several people doing much work to help the homeless," she said. "I raised some money but I did it with a group of other people and a lot of the community supported to me."

Bohorquez said she looks forward to further involvement with the MCCH.

Sinclair-Smith said the gala was a success for the non-profit organization, and she just expects to see further success for the MCCH and its mission. MCCH is now participating in the nationwide Zero: 2016 program, making it one of 72 counties nationwide focused on ending homelessness for veterans by the end of next year. This was a major theme of the gala, which she said was successful in its concrete goals as well as inspiring and celebrating its staff and volunteers.

"Times like this when budgets are shrinking, we do count on the individual and corporate donor base to help us sustain our work," Sinclair-Smith said. "We have a very robust volunteer program and very extensive landscaping programs we couldn't do without our volunteers. This is a great way to thank them and gives them a chance to see the people they are doing great work for, who are often times just like them."

For more information about the MCCH and how to contribute to its cause, visit www.mcch.net.