In Your Opinion: Center For Great Expectations Celebrates 24 Years Of Providing Hope

By Regina Smith, CGE Communications & Special Projects Manager.

The Center for Great Expectations’ premier event of the year, the 2022 Hope Lives Here Gala, celebrates the hope renewed and families’ futures restored, thanks to our community — and with our supporters and honorees, the evening will recognize all we’ve accomplished together.

The Center for Great Expectations, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, will celebrate its 24th anniversary October 14 at the Hyatt Regency New Brunswick. In 1998, CGE served 12 women per year. The Gala honors our journey from humble beginnings to the present, serving over 1,000 women, adolescents, men and children annually.

The Center is recognized as a leader in the field of substance use and mental health treatment with seven programs uniquely positioned along a continuum to make a continued impact for so many and at the community level. Our Trauma C.A.R.E.© model fosters connections and allows clients to heal from experiences and chart a path forward in recovery.

“Each year, The Hope Lives Here Gala is our opportunity to celebrate the courageous clients we serve across our continuum. We also get a chance to shine a light on incredible individuals who, over the years, have contributed to the agency’s growth and our teams’ ever-expanding and evolving expert support of those we are privileged to serve,” says Peg Wright, Founder, President & CEO.

Eighteen years ago, Donna Murphy, Global CEO of Havas Health & You, helped CGE with our branding and positioning as a leader in providing a continuum of care for those seeking substance use and mental health treatment. Understanding the work we were trying to do, she developed the “Hope Lives Here” theme that we continue to use in our communications to this day. This partnership has enabled us to use the strategic expertise of Havas throughout our growth and development. At this year’s Gala, Donna is being recognized as our Humanitarian of the Year.

A CGE partner for 17 years, Brach Eichler LLC has been providing us with invaluable support in the area of human resources. To recognize all they’ve done for us, we’ll be honoring Brach Eichler, together with one of their principals, Anthony M. Rainone, Esq. with our Outstanding Service Award. Anthony is also a member of our Board of Trustees.

Graduating from our treatment program is a big step for our clients. Moving into their own apartment is an even bigger one. Especially since some never really had a place they could call home before they came to CGE. Fortunately for them, they have our 2022 Volunteer of the Year Ali Oakes: Every time a client is ready to make this big move, Ali and her team are there to donate their time and design skills to help them make a space that’s all theirs. Thank you for helping our clients create their own home sweet home.

CGE’s Hope Lives Here Gala is black tie optional and includes dining, dancing and live entertainment from The Infernos. Sponsoring and attending signifies assurances for a better future for mothers and their children; pregnant women and adolescents; and men working on their substance use and mental health treatment — so they can continue on with their lives.

Questions? Contact Laurie Lachs at 732-247-7003 Ext. 336, llachs@cge-nj.org or visit our event page.

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