San Diego CA— The San Diego Center for Children’s 132^nd Anniversary Celebration, Cherishing the Joys of Childhood, took place on Saturday, May 11, 2019 at Humphreys by the Bay on Shelter Island and raised $400,000. Funds raised from this event will support the Center’s programs, providing services to children, teens and families struggling with mental, emotional and behavioral health challenges.

The event featured a cocktail hour, fabulous food stations, exclusive live auction packages, and a special concert by internationally renowned pianist and composer, Matt Savage, a savant on the autism spectrum who started his career as a child prodigy. Guests also enjoyed an inspiring performance by the Center’s Children’s Choir, spoken poetry by Center youth, and delicious appetizers prepared and served by Center transition age youth – witnessing the Center’s various therapeutic services that help children heal and cherish the joys of childhood.
The Center, founded in 1887, is San Diego’s oldest children’s nonprofit organization offering comprehensive accredited therapeutic and educational programs for youth and families struggling with mental, emotional and behavioral health challenges.
Honorary Chairs for this special celebration were Linda and Mel Katz. Event committee members included: Vicki Barón, Vince Heald, Carol Honeysett, Tanya Hrabovsky, Sue Kalish, Lynda Kerr, James King, Kayla Pederson, Tina Reyes, Stacy Roth, Doreen Schonbrun, Martha Schreiner-Lorch, Tricia Sulpizio-Estrada, Dana Sutton, and Gwynn Thomas.

Longtime Music Director of the Center, Sundiata Kata, was awarded the 2019 PATH Award in celebration of his 50 years of impact at the Center. The PATH Award, the Center’s distinguished and annual acknowledgement of Partners in Achieving Transformation and Hope, recognizes supporters and partners to the organization who have made an outstanding impact, celebrating extraordinary contribution and transformative outcomes.
Moisés Barón, Ph.D., President and CEO of the San Diego Center for Children, noted that, “It was only fitting to award Sundiata with this year’s PATH Award in commemoration of his 50 years at the San Diego Center for Children. Sundiata is a part of the fabric that has made the Center the successful organization it is today. We are grateful to our Center friends and supporters for joining us in acknowledging Sundiata for the many extraordinary ways he has helped thousands of children heal through the power of music, and for inspiring them to reach their potential.”