Heart of Gold Ball

The 2025 Heart of Gold Ball will be held on Friday, March 7, at Rockwell on the River in Chicago. The theme is ‘A Child at Heart’ and reflects our hope that each child we encounter is given the chance to connect with their inner child, and that with Hephzibah’s guidance, will have every opportunity possible to experience a happy childhood. If you are interested in information about Heart of Gold Ball 2025, contact Whitney Gravely.

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Interested in Sponsorship Opportunities? Becoming a sponsor for the Heart of Gold Ball offers an excellent opportunity to promote your business while supporting Hephzibah at the same time!

Sponsor the Heart of Gold Ball

2024 Award Recipients

Every year at the Heart of Gold Ball, awards are given to honor those who have made a lasting impact on the lives of Hephzibah children and families.

2024 Heart of Gold Award

The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation

The Heart of Gold Award was established in 1997 to celebrate Hephzibah’s 100th year of helping children thrive and families flourish. The award is presented each year to honor individuals, organizations or corporations that have enhanced the well-being of disadvantaged children at the local or national level. In 2011 Charles Angell, assisted by his sons Jim and Mike, founded the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation in honor of his father, which has grown to become one of the largest private charitable organizations in the Midwest. The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation focuses on the environment, performing arts, and underserved youth. After Charles passed away, the staff and trustees decided to increase their support for Hephzibah, along with many other social service agencies throughout the Chicago Metro area with record level grants, helping Hephzibah to further its mission.

2024 Heart of the Home Award

Eric Friedman

The Heart of the Home Award was established in 2004 to recognize outstanding service and commitment to Hephzibah Children’s Association. This award honors a person or group of volunteers for supporting our mission through a particular project or program. Eric Friedman, a local highly engaged father, recently launched an affordable supplemental Math tutoring program called SMART, to benefit local elementary aged youth after many fell behind following an extended period of online learning. Eric strove to make the program affordable and accessible for all. After the program experienced major growth, he turned the program over to Hephzibah to manage, and to benefit from. Eric’s selfless efforts allow all local youth regardless of income access to the supplemental learning program, now called SMART Hephzibah.

2024 Heart of Gold Information

Event Forms

In-Kind Donation Form

To donate an auction item for the Heart of Gold Ball 2024, please download THIS FORM, fill it out, and email to Whitney Gravely.

Heart of Gold Ball Committees

Honorary Heart of Gold Ball Committee

Mary & William DiSomma
Michelle Durpetti & Collin Pierson
Ron & Cathy Fox
Jodi Fyfe & Devon Quinn
Maria Garvy
Ken & Patty Hunt

Heart of Gold Ball Committee

Maria Anthony
Emily Carroll
Christine DiFrancesco
Robin Titus-Schwadron
Kristina Woodward

Hephzibah Board of Directors

Lisa Azu-Popow, Treasurer
Jennifer Ellis-Jackson, President
Lisa Emerson, Immediate Past President
Amy Muran-Felton, Secretary
Donna Rolf, Vice President

Hephzibah Board Members

Gal Apeloig
Greg Flinn
John Ide
Jennifer Ierardi
Alex Leibowitz
Kenna MacKinnon
John McConville
Lynde O’Brien
Marcia Preston
Rondell Richardson
Peter Senechalle
Byron Taylor
Farah Usmani
Craig Williams
Jon Yates

Previous Heart of Gold Award Winners

The Heart of Gold Award honors individuals, organizations or corporations who have exhibited outstanding personal or professional achievement affecting disadvantaged children on a local or national level.

2023 The Coe Family and the Be the Boat Fund
2022 Senator Don Harmon / T. Kendall & Patricia Hunt
2021 Mary & Bill DiSomma
2020 The Chicago Bears
2019 Jodi Fyfe
2018 Retail Properties of America, Inc. (RPAI)
2017 Mary Anne Brown
2016 Bryan and Amanda Bickell Foundation
2015 Jeff Mauro
2014 Hinsdale Junior Woman’s Club
2013 NOW Foods
2012 Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation
2011 Lerner Family Foundation
2010 The Western Auxiliary
2009 Mr. John Buck, The John Buck Company
2008 Hedge Funds Care
2007 General Electric Company
2006 Oak Park Auxiliary Board
2005 David Crumbaugh
2004 Jennifer Capriati
2003 Dave and Lynde O’Brien
2002 Kim Lutz
2001 Ina Broeman
2000 Ron Fox
1999 Leo Burnett Company, Inc.
1998 Dennis Kenny
1997 Carol Lingenfelter

Previous Heart of the Home Award Winners

The Heart of the Home Award recognizes outstanding service and commitment to Hephzibah Children’s Association. This award honors those who have supported Hephzibah’s mission through a particular project or program.

2023 Megan Scheck
2022 NA
2021 Gene & Georgetti & The Durpetti Family
2020 9.11 LemonAid
2019 Hephzibah Heartmate Volunteers
2018 Susan Ellefson & The Peninsula Chicago Hotel
2017 NA
2016 In memory of Jane Hedges
2015 Kathy Nugent
2014 Brian Druley and Susan Stark
2013 Hephzibah Huskies
2012 Jan Maxson, Director of Hephzibah’s Day Care Program
2011 Anne Boyle & Susan Reich
2010 Amy and Jim Laurenzo
2009 Mr. James Van Vliet & Mr. Michael Flynn – The Avis Budget Group Budget Rent-A-Car, O’Hare
2008 Keith Elkins
2007 Oak Park Women’s Guild
2006 Mike Cardamone
2005 Mark Shaker
2004 Bob and Jeff Ebert