KDC’s 2018 Annual Spring Celebration Gala was a Record Breaking Event

Foster Care Teen, Julie Cabral moved crowd with powerful speech and personal story

Cinco de Mayo graphicFOXBOROUGH, MA – May 6, 2018 – Kennedy-Donovan Center (KDC) hosted their Annual Spring Celebration Gala on May 5, 2018 and raised just under $130,000, exceeding last year’s record by over $10,000. This evening set a record for the most funds raised by the agency in a single event and it was the first year the event sold out, with 260 attendees.

Established in 1969, KDC offers an array of human services and used the Annual Spring Celebration Gala as a platform for raising awareness for the continuum of care KDC provides in the community. KDC offers programs and services from pre-natal to the end of life. One of the programs in that continuum is the Foster Care Program, which provides Julie Cabral with the guidance she needed to lead a happy and successful life. “Julie is just amazing,” began Eileen Dugas, KDC’s Foster Care Program Director. “She participates in all of our peer mentoring group meetings, and is an excellent role model to the other participants in the program. One of her greatest strengths- understanding what it takes to have a good relationship, friendship and how to treat people. Julie follows the ‘Golden Rule’ and that is a quality not many young adults in her situation would know how to be.”

The great nephew of Luella Hennessey Donovan, Ted Carr, was also at the Gala and was featured in the video shown at the Spring Celebration Gala this year and spoke highly of his love for his great aunt, Lu. “Lu left a strong legacy and I am honored to continue fulfilling her vision for the individuals KDC serves,” said Ted. “This year’s Gala is leading up to the 50th Anniversary of KDC, which was founded in 1969, and the organization has grown tremendously. What started out as a program serving only 4 children, now serves over 10,000 individuals, children and families annually.”

The co-hosts of Spring Celebration, Anthony Karamas and Brad Pineault, KDC board members and longtime supporters of our mission, were able to get the crowd excited with their Cinco de Mayo conversation and outfits. Webster Bank returned as the Event Sponsor and the TJX Companies, Inc. was the Advocacy Sponsor. The funds raised from this event are used to support Kennedy-Donovan Center’s mission to support people with developmental delays, disabilities, or family challenges to pursue their personal potential and success in the community. KDC provides a wide range of effective supports to individuals and families through prevention, advocacy, and intervention services that are person-centered, innovative and compassionate.


About Kennedy-Donovan Center

Kennedy-Donovan Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit human service agency providing a wide range of services to over 10,000 people with developmental delays, disabilities, or family challenges throughout eastern and south central Massachusetts, and the northeast corner of Connecticut. KDC serves 160 communities from ten program offices and sixteen residences with nearly 550 employees.

Contact: Amy Chaunt
Kennedy-Donovan Center
achaunt@kdc.org
508-772-1212