Annual Gala Spotlights Restored Lives Stories

Los Angeles, California — October 20, 2016 —This Thursday evening the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills hosted the Los Angeles Mission’s Legacy of Vision Gala. The sixth annual gala honored three-time Emmy Award winner Patricia Heaton with the Anne Douglas Award for exemplary community service.

Heaton stars in ABC’s critically acclaimed comedy, “The Middle”, as Frankie, a super mom who is trying to find balance between her family and career in the mid-west. She is, perhaps, best known for her role as Debra Barone on the classic series “Everybody Loves Raymond”. She won two Emmy® Awards for the role and was nominated seven times. In addition to her Emmy® wins, Heaton is also the recipient of the Best Comedy Actress award from the Viewers for Quality Television, a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) award and three SAG nominations in the Best Actress category for her role on Raymond.

The Anne Douglas Award is named for Mrs. Anne Douglas, the creative force and benefactor behind the Anne Douglas Center for Women at the Los Angeles Mission. Anne Douglas is the wife of actor Kirk Douglas.

Every year the gala shines a light on the Mission’s painstaking efforts to remake broken lives. This year’s celebration brought the Mission’s 80 years of service to Los Angeles’s homeless community into focus. Guests were transported back to the Mission’s founding year of 1936, complete with vintage food and drinks and classic entertainment.

“Everybody loves Patricia,” said Anne Douglas. “She is a beautiful actress and a great human being. She is a loving and caring person. We are very pleased to give her this award.”

“I am humbled at being honored with the Anne Douglas Award. She is a true humanitarian and a great philanthropic leader in Los Angeles,” said Heaton. “I hope my small contribution can help bring hope and change to our deserving neighbors in need.”
“We are pleased to pay tribute to Patricia Heaton. We have been graced with her presence at our events over the years,” said Herb Smith, president of the Mission. “She and her husband, David Hunt, first brought her boys to help serve a meal; coming back many times since to volunteer. She is the real deal. A genuinely openhearted person who walks the talk. We are pleased to pay tribute to such a deserving lady.”

Heaton is involved with many charities in our community. Some of the leaders she has worked with had something to say about how much she deserves such recognition.

Patricia is not afraid to get involved, so it’s not just words,” said Talitha Phillips – CEO of Claris Health. “When Patty supports a cause, it’s action.”

“I was immediately taken by how kind and gracious Patty was,” said Yudi Bennett – Director of Operations, Exceptional Minds. “We are a school for young adults with autism. She was wonderful with them. I was totally swept away by her charm and graciousness.
“The first thing she said was ‘how can I be involved in serving other people,” said Matthew Barnett, Founder of the Dream Center, Los Angeles. “That’s the kind of life she lives every day.”

“She is always very aware of how lucky and blessed she is to have the amazing career that she has, the amazing life that she has, and I think it has been very important to Patty to give back,” said Eileen Heisler – Co-creator and executive producer of The Middle.

The master of ceremonies for this year’s gala was Go Country 105.1FM Morning Show host, Graham Bunn. A natural performer, Bunn is no stranger to giving back. He is cofounder of 46NYC, an apparel company that donates a portion of proceeds to charities around the world.

Providing the evening’s entertainment was five-time Grammy nominee Hunter Hayes. Hailed as a “country-rock-blues guitar hero in the making” by the Los Angeles Times, five-time GRAMMY nominee Hayes is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who roared onto the music scene with his double-Platinum-selling, No. 1 self-titled debut album and chart-topping sophomore album, Storyline, on Atlantic / Warner Music Nashville. He has three #1 singles already under his belt (including the multi-Platinum smash “Wanted,” the double Platinum, “I Want Crazy” and “Somebody’s Heartbreak”). While recording his forthcoming third full-length studio album, Hayes surprised fans by releasing three new songs via social media (“Yesterday’s Song,” “Amen” and “Young Blood”). His new single, “Yesterday’s Song,” hits country radio on October 24.

To round out the entertainment, magician Fantastic Fig brings his special brand of magic. World renowned tap dancer, Ivery “Mr. Feet” Wheeler, demonstrates his unique dancing abilities. “Mr. Feet’s” other distinction is that he is a proud graduate of the Los Angeles Mission program.

Sponsors for the event include the Akin Gump, the Johnny Carson Foundation (endowed by comedian Johnny Carson), the Goldwin Foundation, City National Bank, the Los Angeles Trial Lawyers Charity, American Airlines, Downtown LA Auto Group, the Four Seasons Hotel, Go Country 105, Honda, Tiffany and Company, Warner Brothers and others.

Los Angeles Mission was established in 1936 as a soup kitchen and Christian outreach to homeless men on Skid Row. During the depression years, many homeless and unemployed men struggled on the streets of cities across America. It was during the days of burgeoning bread lines and no food stamps. Soup kitchens, often supported by religious and civic groups, were established to feed the needy. The Los Angeles Mission was begun for just this reason.

Several decades later, in the mid 1980’s, it was clear the Mission organization had outgrown its original Los Angeles Street building. The Mission saw the need to expand and purchased vacant property at the corner of 5th and Wall Street. The present Mission facility was built there and was dedicated in 1992 to serve an ever-increasing homeless population.

With that new facility, the Mission was the first in Lost Angeles to establish a dedicated women’s center – The Anne Douglas Center for Women – a long-term residential rehabilitation facility endowed by Kirk and Anne Douglas. It was a tour of the old Mission by the Douglases that spurred Anne’s interest in creating a safe place for women. Her passion to help the women opened both minds and doors. The result? A women’s facility was endowed and constructed through her efforts. Named for Anne, it opened in February of 1992.

“Anne and Kirk Douglas continue to be the gold standard for giving to the Mission,” according to Mission president Smith. “The Mission is always on the lookout for others in this city of highly compensated individuals who want to model true philanthropy. We hope to find others whose heartfelt desire is to help downtrodden fellow citizens strive to become productive members of society.”

For 80 years, the Los Angeles Mission has served homeless and hurting men and women of downtown Los Angeles, providing emergency services such as shelter, food and clothing. In addition, the Los Angeles Mission also offers long-term residential rehabilitation programs, including education, job training, transitional housing and counseling.

 

Go to www.losangelesmission.org for more information about the Los Angeles Mission.
Photos: Patricia Heaton and the Anne Douglas Award: http://www.ruppepr.dreamhosters.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/IMG_8309.jpeg
Patricia Heaton and Anne Douglas: http://www.ruppepr.dreamhosters.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Patty-and-Anne.jpeg