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From Angelina to Madonna -- Focus on Orphans: New York City Gala for Orphans International Sells Out

To: National Desk

Contact: Felicity Loome of Orphans International

212-755-7285, or felicity@oiww.org

NEW YORK, Nov. 16 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Fifth Anniversary Benefit of Orphans International to be held at the United Nations, Friday, Nov. 17, has sold out. "Celebrating Ten Years' Vision, Five Years' Reality," this network of orphanages now operating on three continents is marking the event with Haitian soprano Martina Bruno, Salvadoran pianist Maria Letona and Egyptian stars Eman Elbahr Darwish and Leila Eloui.

"I am enormously pleased to see the strong response from the Caribbean, Arab, Latino, European, South Asian and Southeast Asian communities," states founder Jim Luce. The benefit has been sponsored by the Unsrc Aux Antilles Club and the Unsrc Arab Club. It features a Silent Art Auction (bid sheets available by pdf) to build The Moses Worthman Home for Orphans on the future campus of Orphans International Haiti in Gonaives, Haiti. The artists represented include Bonnie Goodman, Moses Worthman, Ellen Reiss Hoyt and Michele Zalopany.

Guests at the event will receive a CD with drafts of Orphan Internationl's (OI) Annual Report, Sponsorship Opportunities and the founder's new book, "Riding the Tiger: The Story of Orphans International." As of Nov. 18, it will be available to anyone who requests it by writing info@oiww.org. The book covers the organization's exciting history, OI's children around the world and its generous supporters. It outlines the development of programs and the challenges and successes of OI over the first five years.

Orphans International provides immediate aid to the world's most disadvantaged children. The organization focuses on long- term development through excellent education and vocational opportunities that are coupled with love, proper nutrition and healthcare. Each child is given individual attention, with a child-to-adult ratio of 1:3, leading towards graduation and either scholarships for further education or micro-loans for creating small businesses. Children may be sponsored for $600 per year. OI does not place children for adoption, but rather seeks their sponsorship. Readers may request OI Sponsorship Opportunities by writing info@oiww.org.

OI's mission is centered on "Raising Global Citizens" and OI's children remain in their native countries to become educated to their fullest potential and then help move their countries forward; they do not place children for adoption in America. OI has received bi-partisan support in the past from leaders such as former president Bill Clinton, Mayor Mike Bloomberg, Sen. Chuck Schumer, Sen. Hillary Clinton and Gov. George Pataki, as well as many New York City-based public officials.

Projects are running in Sumatera and Sulawesi in Indonesia, as well as in Gonaives, Haiti and Esse-Dzogbedji, Togo. Projects in formation include Guyana, the Philippines, Peru, Ghana, Sri Lanka, the Dominican Republic and El Salvador. Future plans include working with AIDS orphans in both China and India. Each OI campus is working towards full programming for the orphaned children and the village community with classes for English, computer science and a strong emphasis on the arts.