MAYOR’S BUDDY DYER AND RICH CROTTY JOIN TO
CO-CHAIR 13TH ANNUAL HEARTS OF GOLD FUNDRAISER

(Fundraiser is largest event of the year for Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida, funding services and programs for homeless men, women, and children in Central Florida)

ORLANDO, Fla. — (March 8, 2006) — Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, along with his wife Karen, and Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty, along with his wife Pam are partnering for the 13th Annual Hearts of Gold, benefiting Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida.

Hearts of Gold is the Coalition’s largest fundraiser of the year, providing funding for programs and services at the Coalition for men, women, and Children. The event is scheduled for Wednesday May 3rd at The Bob Carr Performing Arts Center, located at 401 West Livingston Street.

Hearts of Gold will include an elegant reception, a live auction with unique ‘experience’ items, and live entertainment featuring The Turtles. Sponsorship benefits include ticket packages, reserved entertainment seating, and VIP tickets for the backstage desert reception.

Last year the event was an enormous success, with the help of the Dyer’s and the Crotty’s, more than 650 guests from 44 sponsoring organizations raised more than $200,000 to benefit the homeless families of Central Florida. The funds were a welcome boost for the agency’s budget, which has been strained by the increasing number of homeless families with children who turn to the Coalition for help.

About Coalition for the Homeless

Coalition for the Homeless is the largest provider of homeless services in Central Florida. This non-profit organization works to address the needs of the homeless in the community and serves as a catalyst for community collaboration to end homelessness by offering comprehensive case management programs to help the homeless become self-sufficient. In the most recent fiscal year, the Coalition served more than 360,000 meals and provided over 240,000 nights of shelter to homeless individuals.

One in four people the Coalition serves is a child, with an average age of eight.

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