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FSC Receives Ambassadors in Caring Award, $2000 Check

Montgomery—A nomination submitted by Equitable Life and Casualty Insurance Company Agent Carlton Center set in motion a series of wonderful events for the Family Sunshine Center in recent weeks.  On Thursday, October 29, 2009, Family Sunshine staff, volunteers and former clients were called to a special award ceremony where they presented with the “Ambassador of Caring” award for the important work they do.  Everyone was very pleased to see that the award also came with a surprise—a check in the amount of $2,000.  FSC Executive Director Karen Sellers was elated.  “That money has the potential to grow into a $10,000 gift when you consider that it can serve as matching money for grant resources,” she said.

The award is given by Equitable Life and Casualty Insurance Company to national and international nonprofit organizations and individuals making a difference in their communities.   According to the company’s website, Rod Ross, Equitable’s chairman, president and CEO, knows that there are wonderful people working in their small ways to make the world a better place.  The company likes to bestow the awards on people and agencies who teach others to take care of themselves.  “The reason I nominated the Family Sunshine Center is because in this day and time where the family unit is so important to all individuals, whenever violence and abuse enters a family it can be devastating for all involved.  To have an organization like the Family Sunshine Center that offers services such as protection and counseling to those in need is extremely valuable,” Carlton Center explained.

In addition to a beautiful plaque and the monetary award, the gift included the production of a short film about the agency’s mission produced by Emmy award-winning journalist Doug Jardine.  Jardine spent the day with Karen Sellers and other FSC staff, volunteers and domestic violence survivors to produce a seven-minute film that will air on the Internet’s GoodTube, an Internet and video-sharing community dedicated to the work of volunteers and non-profit organizations worldwide.  (www.goodtube.org.)

“This is one of those gifts that continues giving,” Sellers said.  Her agency will be able to use Jardine’s film for education and awareness, as well as development purposes.  “We would have never had the resources to pay an Emmy award-winning journalist to make a film about the Family Sunshine Center.  We highly anticipate seeing the finished product, which should be available sometime in January,” Sellers said.