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Worldwide Orphans Foundation Announces Fourth Annual Benefit Gala "Every Child Ought to Know: What Love Is, What Health Is, What Childhood Is"

NEW YORK-(Business Wire)-October 1, 2008 - Dr. Jane Aronson, founder, CEO and executive medical director, Worldwide Orphans Foundation (WWO), announced today that WWO will hold its Fourth Annual Benefit Gala, November 3, 6:00 pm at Cipriani Wall Street in New York. WWO is dedicated to transforming the lives of orphaned children around the world.

The 2008 Gala theme is “Every Child Ought to Know: What Love Is, What Health Is, What Childhood Is”. WWO will pay tribute to two outstanding honor recipients for their dedication to improving the lives of children. WWO will salute the work of The Honorable Dr. Samuel Assefa, Ethiopian Ambassador to the U.S., for Ethiopia’s partnership with WWO; and Lois Whitman, for her work as Executive Director, Human Rights Watch Children’s Rights Division in advocating for the rights of the world’s most vulnerable children.

Special Guests attending the Gala will include: Mary-Louise Parker, Tony-award winning actress and star of TV’s Weeds; Jacques d’Amboise, founder, National Dance Theater; Brooke Smith, star of Grey’s Anatomy; and Broadway stars Christine Ebersole and Donna Murphy. Tony-award winning director Kathleen Marshall is Entertainment Chair.

"WWO is proud to honor Dr. Assefa and Lois Whitman for their outstanding work on behalf of children. They exemplify the individuals and organizations with which WWO strives to partner,” Dr. Aronson said. “We are all advocates of what we believe is a child’s birthright – to receive individual care and the opportunity to grow, learn, play and become productive adults. WWO is delighted to recognize these amazing individuals for their dedication to children.”

The mission of Worldwide Orphans Foundation is to transform the lives of orphaned children around the world by addressing their unique needs through medical, developmental, psychosocial and educational programs. WWO programs are designed to nurture each child and help cultivate the opportunity to lead productive, dignified adult lives.

Founded in 1997 by renowned adoption medicine specialist, Dr. Jane Aronson, WWO has established humanitarian programs in Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, China, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Kenya, Serbia and Vietnam. Two of its major programs are HIV/AIDS treatment programs for orphans in Vietnam and Ethiopia. Other programs include physical/occupational therapy, early intervention “granny” programs, education, arts and humanities, sports and camp. For more information, please visit www.wwo.org.

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