Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC, to honor health equity trailblazers at 2024 Impact Gala

WASHINGTON, Aug. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC (PPMW) will honor leading champions of reproductive rights and health equity at the upcoming PPMW Impact Gala, including:

• Maryland First Lady Dawn Flythe Moore
• John V. Thomas and the Adele M. Thomas Charitable Foundation, Inc.
• The Honorable Jolene Ivey, Prince George's County Council (D-5)
• Coach Kenneth Blakeney and the Howard University men's basketball program

The Gala will be held on Saturday, September 28, 2024, 6:30 p.m., at the Waldorf Astoria Washington DC.

Two years after the fall of Roe v. Wade, 22 U.S. states have enacted abortion bans and millions of Americans continue to be denied access to sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion care. As abortion bans spread across the southern United States, PPMW remains a bastion of hope for patients traveling from states like North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida for care.

Proceeds from the Impact Gala will benefit PPMW's Abortion Access Fund and the launch of a mobile health care unit, directly reaching patients in need of care.

The 2024 Impact Gala Awards will pay special tribute to leaders, both local and national, who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to the advancement of sexual and reproductive health care and equity at this critical moment in history, making PPMW's work possible.

PPMW Champion of Reproductive Health Award: Dawn Flythe Moore, First Lady of Maryland

The Champion of Reproductive Health Award will be presented to Maryland First Lady Dawn Flythe Moore for her work advancing reproductive health care access and health equity in the communities PPMW serves. First Lady Moore is a passionate advocate for safeguarding reproductive freedom in Maryland, including abortion access; eliminating preventable maternal mortality; celebrating and protecting the rights of LGBTQIA+ people; ensuring equal access to health care services regardless of income or zip code; and supporting survivors of sexual assault.

First Lady Moore holds more than 20 years of leadership experience in government relations, non-profit work, and community organizing. She has served on the board of several non-profit organizations, has chaired the Moore-Miller Inaugural Committee, and, together with Governor Wes Moore, established the Moore Family Foundation, which under her leadership invested strategically in education, community enrichment, health research and development, veterans organizations, and the arts. She is an alumna of the University of Maryland, College Park.

PPMW Distinguished Philanthropist Award: John Thomas and the Adele M. Thomas Charitable Foundation, Inc.

John V. Thomas and the Adele M. Thomas Charitable Foundation will be honored with the Distinguished Philanthropist Award for their substantial support of PPMW. Mr. Thomas is the chairman and president of the family foundation, whose predecessor, the Adele M. Thomas Trust, was established by Claude and Adele Thomas. Their transformational contributions have helped PPMW realize its promise to provide high-quality, compassionate, expert care to the communities it serves. The impact of their generosity over four decades, including through all of PPMW's capital campaigns, is reflected across the organization's rich array of programs and services.

John V. Thomas is an attorney who spent most of his career in the Legal Division of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and retired from the FDIC in 2015 as a deputy general counsel. Mr. Thomas served three six-year terms on PPMW's Board and Finance Committee. He is currently a member of the Board of the English Empowerment Center, a Northern Virginia nonprofit that teaches adults to read, write, speak, and understand English. Mr. Thomas received his undergraduate degree from Indiana University and his law degree from Yale University.

PPMW Ally Award: The Honorable Jolene Ivey

Prince George's County Council Chair Jolene Ivey (D-5) will receive the PPMW Ally Award for her tireless work supporting policies to protect equitable and compassionate health care. Previously a member of PPMW's Board of Directors, Ivey played an instrumental role in establishing PPMW's Suitland health center, substantially expanding PPMW's community impact.

Council Member Ivey has prioritized children and families through her work related to health care, housing, education, economic development, and the environment, earning her recognition as one of The Daily Record's Top 100 Women in Maryland and the Maryland State NAACP's Kweisi Mfume Excellence in Advocacy Award. She is the founder of Mocha Moms, a national support group for mothers of color, and serves on the Greater Washington Community Foundation's Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Task Force. She is a former broadcast journalist and holds a bachelor's degree from Towson University and master's degree from the University of Maryland, College Park.

PPMW Catalyst Award: Coach Kenneth Blakeney and the Howard University Men's Basketball Program

Coach Kenneth Blakeney and the players and staff of the Howard University Men's Basketball Program will receive the PPMW Catalyst Award in recognition of their dedication to social justice, health and wellbeing, and supporting communities in the Washington, DC metro area.

Each year, Coach Blakeney challenges his team to pursue a social justice project honoring Howard University's history of activism. During the 2022-23 season, the team responded to the reversal of Roe v. Wade and maternal health disparities for Black women by advocating for Black maternal health. The team engaged in educational opportunities with the Congressional Black Caucus and National Women's Law Center before completing service projects with Mamatoto Village and the DC Diaper Bank.

Note for Media
Media who wish to attend are advised to contact PPMW Communications in advance at 202-834-5615 or [email protected]. All members of the media who attend will be required to present appropriate credentials. PPMW reserves the right to refuse entry to anyone.

Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC (PPMW) provides high-quality and affordable reproductive health care, promotes education programs that empower all individuals to make informed reproductive choices, and protects the right to make those choices. PPMW is the oldest and largest provider of family planning services in Metropolitan Washington, serving Washington, DC; Montgomery and Prince George's Counties in Maryland; and Northern Virginia.

SOURCE Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, D.C.