SOS Gala - September 19th, 2015

Washington, DC 

 

As always, we are incredibly thankful to the Gala Committee and all the volunteers in DC. The SOS Gala in 2015 was the most successful to date; with the highest attendance and greatest amount of donations raised, the event bolstered significant support for and awareness of SOS Children's Villages Pakistan. We are especially indebted to the Washington, D.C. Director Dr. Tazeen Hashmi and the Gala Chairs Shela Qamer and Tahira Chaudhry for their hard work. 

 

The Honorable Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani spoke to the attendees about his relationship with SOS Children's Villages; he described his first-hand experience of seeing the organization's impact on children during his posting in Multan. Another speaker, Mr. Pervez Hassan, shared his and his wife's motivation for donating the funds for a youth home in Islamabad in 2014. 

 

The SOS Gala on September 19th highlighted some new changes for the DC Chapter. Based on priorities set from the previous year, this event encouraged the volunteerism of young people. From high school volunteers to young professionals, the Chapter was revitalizd with fresh ideas and energy. The new initiative of "family memberships" was well-received and several families contributed their time and effort to the cause. This year, the SOS D.C. Chapter will be donating three youth homes in addition to the sponsorships of many children and the funding for hundreds of scholarships to a technical institute.