Hampton Roads Community News
October 7: Journey For Success Gala To Spotlight Single Mothers
HAMPTON ROADS
Journey For Success will be celebrating 10 years of supporting single mothers in Hampton Roads with its inaugural Legendary Pearls Gala & Awards on Saturday, October 7th at Hilton Norfolk The Main in downtown Norfolk. The Black-tie event will include a seated dinner, awards presentations, a silent auction, and a brief look at the history of and the path ahead for the organization.
Musical entertainment will come from The Blue Moon Jazz Ensemble from Tidewater Community College, the Strolling Silver Strings from Norfolk Public Schools, and rounding out the night, will be the sounds of The Fuzz Band.
Monica Diggs, President & CEO of the Norfolk-based non-profit, says It’s been her long-time vision to recognize the perseverance and tenacity of single mothers in this manner. She said the event will recognize a distinguished group of successful women from the local area who have built businesses and careers while simultaneously tackling the challenges of being single mothers.
“These ladies are our ‘Pearls,’ role models to younger generations of women parenting alone,” she said. 2017 honorees are Brenda Hughes Andrews, owner of the New Journal & Guide; Chief Tonya Chapman, Portsmouth Police Department; Barbara Ciara from NewsChannel 3; Evangelist Danette Crawford from Joy Ministries; and Cheryl Scott, founder and President of Deadline Digital Printing. There also will be a “Legend in the Making Award” that will be presented to an anonymous single mother.
Throughout the next year, each Pearl honoree will be a guest speaker at a series of luncheons tailored to single moms. Being posthumously honored for their “grit” in single motherhood are Coretta Scott King, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, and Ruth Fertel (founder of Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse).
“Also, we want to inform and increase awareness in the community about the plight of single mother-led households and the organization’s efforts to transform and strengthen families,” Diggs said.
She said the Legendary Pearls Gala is the group’s flagship fundraising event and provides funding for programs and services.
The mission of Journey For Success (formerly Still Hope Foundation) is to support single mothers by providing essential tools and resources for developing productive and transformational lifestyles via mentoring relationships and education.
“Think of it as a support community where everyone can learn from each other and has something to offer based on their life experiences,” says Diggs. Seventy women have been through a pilot version of the program.
In 2018, the group plans to offer a structured course curriculum to allow for more in depth instruction.
“What began 10 years ago as a philanthropic effort to fill in some gaps and assist single mothers has turned into a vehicle to uplift and transform the lives of single mothers and their children, Diggs said.
The celebration will be at the The Main on October 7th.
Visit journeyforsuccess.org or call (757) 963-5000 for more information.
