St. Ann’s Center for Children, Youth and Families will celebrate the 160th anniversary of its founding with a “Hope Blossoms” online virtual gala on Thursday, May 13 at 6:30 p.m.

During the gala, Cardinal Wilton Gregory, the archbishop of Washington, will honor the Daughters of Charity ­– the founders of the center – with the Mary McGrory Advocacy Award.

Michael Steele, the former lieutenant governor of Maryland, will emcee the event; and Tommy McFly, a local media personality, will be the guest speaker. Music will be provided by Terrence Cunningham, a singer who was a contestant on season 14 of “The Voice;” and The String Queens, a cello, viola and violin trio.

During the gala, Tonya Sharpe, St. Ann’s Center Board chairperson, and author Jason Reynolds will honor Jake Garner and Miguel Coppedge with the Michele Heidenberger Volunteer Award. 

Also during the gala, Daughters of Charity Sister Mary Bader, the chief executive officer of St. Ann’s, will share stories about St. Ann’s history. The center ­– then known as St. Ann’s Infant Asylum – was founded by the Daughters of Charity in 1860, and was incorporated in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln signed an Act of Congress authorizing the incorporation.

St. Ann’s Center for Children, Youth and Families serves vulnerable mothers and their children in the metropolitan region. It offers mothers transitional housing and support programming, counseling, mentoring, life skills and parenting classes, opportunities for further education and employment coaching. Children both in residence and from the community are served by an on-site Child Care Center, which also includes an Early Head Start Program. 

St. Ann’s virtual gala and fundraiser will take place Thursday, May 13, at 6 p.m. For tickets, visit http://hope2021.givesmart.com/

For more information about St. Ann’s Center for Children, Youth and Families, visit https://stanns.org/