New York - C. Warren Moses, CEO of The Children’s Aid Society of New York City, is among 100 people being honored by NECO (National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations) for their outstanding contributions, during a special awards ceremony on Ellis Island in New York Harbor, on Saturday, May 12, 2007.
Additional recipients of 2007 Ellis Island Medals of Honor, an award established by NECO in 1986 to pay tribute to the ancestry groups that comprise American’s unique cultural mosaic, include: Her Excellency Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa, President of the 61st Session of the United Nations General Assembly; Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., President of the University of Notre Dame, U.S. Congressman Tom Lantos, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and Founder and Co-Chairman of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus; Leslie Crocker Snyder, former New York State Supreme Court Judge; and Guillermo Linares, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs.
“I am very proud to receive this honor on behalf of The Children’s Aid Society, which has helped immigrant families make their way and succeed in their new country throughout our history,” said Medalist C. Warren Moses. “We were at Ellis Island in the early 20th century, helping immigrant children, and we are working with immigrant families today all over the city. Children’s Aid Society programs help immigrants obtain services, such as health insurance for their children and advocacy when they need it, and offer assistance adjusting to a new society, all in a welcoming social environment.”
Each year, the Ellis Island Medals of Honor ceremony celebrates the immigrant experience on Ellis Island, through which millions of immigrants passed on their way to a new life in America. Both the United States Senate and House of Representatives have officially passed resolutions recognizing the Ellis Island Medals of Honor, which ranks among this country’s most prestigious awards. Each year, Ellis Island Medal of Honor recipients are listed in the Congressional Record, honoring those who have made enduring contributions to our nation and to the world.
Previous Ellis Island Medal of Honor recipients include six U.S. Presidents, Nobel laureates, entertainers, athletes, entrepreneurs, religious leaders and business executives, such as Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Muhammad Ali, Rosa Parks, Elie Wiesel, General Norman Schwarzkopf, Mickey Mantle, Gloria Estefan, Michael Douglas and Siegfried & Roy.
NECO’s mission is to create the world of the future today, by honoring our diverse past, advocating for positive change in the present, and building strong leaders for the future. The foundation partners with a wide variety of organizations, both national and international. It supports diverse ethnic cultural events, sponsors life-saving surgery for children, assists emergency relief efforts worldwide, and produces educational materials and programs that mentor youth to become the leaders of tomorrow. NECO continues its long-standing commitment to Ellis Island, supporting the ongoing restoration of their educational facilities. For a full list of the 2007 Ellis Island Medal of Honor winners, visit www.neco.org.
The Children’s Aid Society’s mission is to ensure the physical and emotional well being of disadvantaged children and families. Founded in 1853, it is one of the nation’s largest and most innovative non-sectarian children’s and family services agencies, assisting over 150,000 of New York City’s disadvantaged children and their families each year at more than 45 locations in New York. The Children’s Aid Society is a leader in progressive, cost-effective programs. For more information about C. Warren Moses and The Children’s Aid Society, please contact Ellen Lubell at 212-949-4938, or visit www.childrensaidsociety.org.
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