FOR IMMEDIATE  RELEASE
September 2004

ChildBuilders 30th Anniversary Celebration and Luncheon

Paul and Vicki Sarvadi will receive the Muriel Folloder Phillips Award for Advocacy of Children and Charitable Causes at the Annual Awards Luncheon benefiting ChildBuilders, Houston’s Advocates for Mental Health in Children, Wednesday, November 10, at the Houston Country Club. Paul is the chairman and CEO of Administaff, and his wife Vicki is the executive director of the Nathaniel Foundation and Center.  Vicki and Paul are true philanthropic leaders in our community.

In addition, Building Blocks Awards will be presented to Curtis Mooney, Ph.D., CEO of DePelchin Children’s Center; Judge Robert Eckels; Rabbi Roy Walter, of Congregation Emanu El, Reverend Bill Lawson, of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church; and the Family-Centered Child Care Collaborative.  Dottie Bates will receive the Volunteer of the Year Award for her philanthropy and outstanding community voluntarism.

Harriet Gertner is serving as luncheon chairman. Honorary chairmen are Betty Tutor and Vera Brown. David Mendez is corporate chairman.

ChildBuilders is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that has served Houston for 30 years. ChildBuilders fills a valuable niche in promoting healthy child and family development through our participation in award-winning programs.

The Community Education Program works to inform parents, caregivers, and professionals about children’s mental health issues, healthy child development, and effective parenting. The Family-Centered Child Care Collaborative is a collaboration of 10 nonprofit organizations aiming to strengthen child care centers and increase parental involvement and services. Parents Under Construction is a curriculum that enables preschool through twelfth grade students to build healthy relationships today and strong families tomorrow by teaching children the parenting skills they will need in the future. Finally, the WHO program is an anti-victimization program that educates parents, teachers, and students from preschool through twelfth grade to recognize and protect victims of child abuse. Together these programs empower our community with knowledge and awareness for positive mental health in children.