Salt Lake City, UT (August 2008)—Enterprise Mentors International (Mentors), a non-profit charity that lifts families out of poverty in developing nations, will feature the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at its fourth annual fundraising gala on Friday, November 7. The special event, to be held at the Grand America Hotel Ballroom in Salt Lake City, is entitled “Celebrating a Legacy of Hope.”
Mentors attacks poverty worldwide by providing microcredit loans, high-quality mentoring, and encouragement to hardworking micro-entrepreneurs, especially women.
Over 1400 people are expected to attend the reception and dinner, which will be followed by the choir’s performance. The event hopes to raise $1 million that evening, with 100 percent of donations directly benefiting those in poverty.
“It continually amazes me how much this gala can benefit countless people,” said Mark L. Petersen, president and CEO of Mentors. “By reaching this year’s gala goal of $1 million, we will be able to help 48,000 new individuals pull themselves out of poverty and become self-sufficient. That’s the equivalent of a small city,” he continued.
In addition to the choir’s performance, First Lady Laura Bush will be honored as the recipient of Mentors’ International Humanitarian Award.
“Mrs. Bush has been instrumental in bringing aid and hope to those in need worldwide,” said Mary Ellen Smoot, chair of Mentors’ board of directors. “I have heard her say that global literacy can create economic self-sufficiency. In this way, our missions converge since we are both striving to help those less fortunate become self-sufficient. It is therefore only fitting that this award be given to her,” continued Smoot.
Mentors currently functions in Guatemala, El Salvador, Peru, Mexico and the Philippines through seven partner organizations. During its eighteen-year history, it has helped more than 815,000 people and 140,000 families work their way out of poverty.
Mentors devotes 100 percent of all its fundraising to the direct benefit of its overseas clients. Its board of directors covers all U.S. administrative costs. Ninety-five percent of all loans granted by Mentors are repaid and the funds are self-perpetuated to the benefit of even more clients.
“We hope to grow from serving 30,000 clients currently to one million clients in the next few years. In order to accomplish the tremendous task that lies before us, we require the support of those who have been given much to help those who have great need,” said Mark Petersen.
