The Center for Hope welcomes author Mary Cregan as the speaker for its 2019 Annual Luncheon on Wednesday, May 8. The event will be held at 11 a.m. at Wee Burn Beach Club in Rowayton.
Longtime Family Centers board member, former board chair and Darien resident Jan Dilenschneider will also be honored with the “Ray of HOPE Award.”
In her new book, The Scar: A Personal History of Depression and Recovery, Cregan shares her inspirational story of overcoming mental illness and the tenacity she found within herself to rebuild her life from the ground up.
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Author Mary Cregan will speak at the luncheon. Shortly after the death of her newborn daughter, Cregan sank into a depression so deep she required hospitalization.
— an announcement from Family Centers
Shortly after the death of her newborn daughter, Cregan sank into a depression so deep she required hospitalization. A failed suicide attempt while admitted to a locked unit was the low point of her long and arduous path to recovery.
The scar from that suicide attempt serves not only as a reminder of her darkest days, but also how far she has come.
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Jan Dilenschneider will receive an award at the luncheon. In addition to serving as Family Centers’ Board Chairman from 2005-2008, she co-chaired numerous successful special events, provided guidance on service delivery
For many years, Dilenschneider has made Family Centers and the Center for Hope her primary philanthropic interests.
In addition to serving as Family Centers’ Board Chairman from 2004-2008, she co-chaired numerous successful special events, facilitated two successful mergers, provided guidance on service delivery and helped enhance the public profile of the organization.
All proceeds from the event will benefit the Center for Hope and The Den for Grieving Kids, Family Centers’ programs offering counseling and support to residents of lower Fairfield County coping with a loss, a critical illness or life-altering circumstance.
Tickets start at $125 and are available online now. Several exciting sponsorship opportunities – which include a semi-private reception with Cregan – are also available. A copy of Cregan’s book, The Scar, will be included with each ticket purchase.
For more information, contact Laurie Molner at lmolner@familycenters.org.
The 2018 Center for HOPE Luncheon is co-chaired by Anne Goodnow and Joy Hoffman, both of Darien.
Family Centers is a private, nonprofit organization offering education and human services to children, adults and families in Fairfield County. More than 200 professionals and 4,000 trained volunteers work together to provide a wide range of responsive, innovative programs.
A United Way, Community Fund of Darien and New Canaan Community Foundation partner agency, Family Centers is a member of the Connecticut Council of Family Service Agencies and is accredited by The Joint Commission and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
The agency is licensed by the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health. Visit www.familycenters.org for additional information.