NANAY to Celebrate 10 Years of Community Service

Miami, Florida  - October 2, 2004

NANAY will hold its 10th Anniversary Fundraising & Community Service Award Banquet on November 6, 2004 at the Broward Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  The Banquet will showcase NANAY's ten years of dedicated community services and its vision for the next 10 years.

As a highlight of the event, NANAY will be honoring key individuals who have been instrumental in helping the organization pursue its mission of serving elders, youth and community.  Retired Broward County Judge John Gaudiosi and business entrepreneur Ricardo Garcia will be honored for their philanthropic activities and for acquiring what is now the NANAY Community Center in North Miami, that provides free supportive services to elders and youth. John Stokesberry, retired Executive Director of Alliance for Aging for Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties, will be honored for pioneering the provision of services to elders, and for enabling NANAY to carry out its supportive activities for elders through government grants. Retired Congresswoman  Carrie Meek will be honored for her exemplary legislative services to community. The City of North Miami will be honored for commitment in revitalizing its community and providing needed services to its constituents.  

"It is only fitting that we recognize those who have helped us in our mission of providing services over the last 10 years," says Joy Bruce, President and CEO of NANAY, Inc. "We would not be where we are now  if not for them, and without the continuing support of our community, volunteers, supporters and friends."

Every year, elders and youth benefit from the community’s generous contributions to NANAY.  The three major goals of NANAY are: (1) to provide supportive services to elders and youth; (2) to provide affordable preventive and primary health care to the medically underserved and uninsured; and (3) to provide supportive housing and counseling to elders and low-income families.

Since 2000, the NANAY Community Center at the Gaudiosi-Garcia Building in North Miami has been providing free daily supportive services to the community and has served more than 500 elders and 100 youth (60% Asian, 20% non-Hispanic White, 14% Haitian/African American and 6% Hispanic).  NANAY’s free services include, but are not limited to, socialization, computer classes, transportation, counseling, exercise sessions, caregiver support, health educational workshops, intergenerational programs, monthly health screening and periodic medical care.  

The NANAY Health Center located two blocks away from the Gaudiosi-Garcia Building is now able to provide preventive and primary health care to the medically underserved and uninsured, with funding from Health Foundation of South Florida, Alliance for Aging, Alliance for Human Services, and State of Florida Department of Health. 

"Our first 10 years of dedicated community services have been very productive, but we still have a lot to accomplish, and we need community support to make it happen," adds Joy Bruce. "Our plans over the next 10 years will be presented during the Anniversary event, including NANAY's strategic plans for building organizational capacity and our newly established NANAY Community Development Corporation (NANAY-CDC) that aims to develop affordable housing projects, homeownership assistance and counseling programs in the South Florida area.