Sonia Chang-Diaz

With less than three months to go before its 2012 Awards Gala, the Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS) is proud to announce the recipient of the Person of the Year Award and the members of the Honorary Committee for its largest fundraising event, to take place April 28th, 2012, at 6 pm, at the Cambridge Marriott Hotel, Kendall Square.

The highest award bestowed every year by the organization, the MAPS Person of the Year Award, will honor State Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz. She was the first Latina elected to the Massachusetts State Senate, now serving her 2nd term for the Second Suffolk District. Sen. Chang-Diaz is widely recognized as a strong advocate for public education, CORI reform, access and opportunities for low-income and immigrant communities, as well as for those affected by foreclosures, hate crimes and youth violence.

“Sen. Chang-Diaz is a living example of everything that MAPS believes in and fights for,” said Executive Director Paulo Pinto. “She takes pride in her immigrant roots and stands up for our communities in Massachusetts.”

The other 2012 Award Recipients include the Deputy Director of Human Services for the City of Boston, Adalberto Teixeira, recipient of the MAPS Manuel N. Coutinho Outstanding Volunteer Award; Dayanne Leal, Outreach Manager at Health Care for All, who will be honored with the MAPS Jorge Fidalgo Community Service Award; and Eduardo “Eddie” Sousa, who will receive the MAPS Mary & Manuel Rogers Lifetime Community Service Award. The recipient of the MAPS Álvaro Lima Outstanding Business Award will be announced shortly.

As for the 2012 Awards Gala Honorary Committee, it is composed of distinguished individuals who support MAPS services: US Senator John F. Kerry and Teresa Heinz Kerry; Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick; WBZ Radio Co-Host Anthony Silva; Álvaro Lima, Manuel Rogers, Jr., Mrs. Ana Fidalgo and Mrs. Frances Coutinho, representing the individuals and families after whom some of the awards were named; the Consul-General of Brazil in Boston , Fernando Mello Barreto; the Consul-General of Cape Verde in Boston, Pedro Graciano Carvalho; the Consul-General of Portugal in Boston, Paulo Cunha Alves; Rui Domingos, CEO of the CPCU Credit Union; and Mr. John B. Cruz III, President of the Cruz Companies.

The 2012 MAPS Awards Gala will feature a black tie-optional banquet and awards ceremony, dancing, entertainment, a Live and Silent Auctions and more. Co-chairing this year’s event are MAPS Board member Joseph J. Vasconcelos and MAPS Administrative Assistant Deolinda Daveiga. The Gala will be hosted for the second time by WBZ Radio co-host Anthony Silva. Sponsorship and advertising opportunities are available! For more information, please call (617) 864-7600 or visit http://www.maps-inc.org/events/annual-gala/2012-gala/.

Classes start on the second week of February, as follows:

• Basic ESOL – Classes meet twice a week, for 12 weeks, on Mondays and Thursdays, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, starting Feb. 6th, at MAPS’ Cambridge Office (1046 Cambridge Street);

• Basic Portuguese – Classes meet once a week, for 12 weeks, on Tuesdays, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, starting Feb. 7th, at MAPS’ Cambridge Office;

• Citizenship – Classes meet once a week, for 12 weeks, on Wednesdays, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, starting Feb. 8th, at MAPS’ Cambrdige Office;

• Basic Portuguese – Classes meet once a week, for 12 weeks, on Wednesdays, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, starting Feb. 8th, at MAPS’ Framingham Office (24 Union Avenue);

• Basic ESOL – Classes meet once a week, for 12 weeks, on Saturdays, from 9 am to 12 pm, starting Feb. 10th, at MAPS’ Lowell Office (11 Mill Street).

For more information or to sign up for the classes, please call (617) 864-7600 or email Júnior Catão at jcatao@maps-inc.org.

MAPS’ 2012

Awards Gala

Award Recipients!

MAPS 2012 Awards Gala

Saturday, April 28, 2012 at 6 pm

Cambridge Marriott Hotel, Kendall Square

Full Page Ad dimensions for Program Book: 6.5” wide x 9” high, 600 dpi requested for all graphics, logos and  camera-ready ads. For questions on ad format, please contact Sue Seger, sseger@maps-inc.org, (617) 864-7600.

* Donated Gala tickets will be given to youth and or elder clients who might otherwise not be able to attend the event.

Adalberto Teixeira

• MAPS Manuel N. Coutinho Outstanding Volunteer Award: Adalberto Teixeira, Deputy Director of Human Services for the City of Boston. He’s a major leader in the Boston Cape Verdean community, co-hosting the popular Nha Terra Cape Verdean radio show, now celebrating its 25th Anniversary. He also has volunteered in the community in many other capacities, including with youth through the St. Patrick’s Youth Soccer Program, and worked with MAPS and other organizations on the Portuguese-Speaking Complete Count Committee for the 2010 US Census;

Dayanne Leal

• MAPS Jorge Fidalgo Community Service Award: Dayanne Leal, Outreach Manager at Health Care for All, for her work signing up and helping tremendous numbers of low-income, immigrant and other community members to sign up for MassHealth and health insurance so they can access health care. She also has organized the charity program Tropical Angels for eight years, helping out children and families in need in Brazil;

• MAPS Mary & Manuel Rogers Lifetime Community Service Award: Eduardo (Eddie) Sousa, a long-time key volunteer in the Portuguese community and a driving force behind the feasts at St. Anthony Church in Cambridge;

MAPS award recipients are nominated by the community and agency clientele, through forms available all year long in our six offices located in Cambridge, Allston, Dorchester, Framingham, Lowell and Somerville, and also online at www.maps-inc.org/events/annual-gala/2012-gala/nominate-someone/. Even though nominations for 2012 are closed, you can already indicate someone you think deserves recognition in 2013 for the work he or she has done for the Portuguese-speaking community.

Eduardo 'Eddie' Sousa

Apart from being an opportunity to honor distinguished individuals in our communities, the Awards Gala is MAPS’ largest fundraising event, supporting a wide variety of services the agency has been offering for more than 40 years. The black-tie-optional event also features a banquet, Live and Silent Auctions, entertainment and much more! Co-chairs for the 2012 Gala are Board member Joseph J. Vasconcelos and Deolinda Daveiga, MAPS Administrative Assistant. The event emcee will once again be WBZ Radio co-anchor Anthony Silva!

Sponsorship and advertising opportunities as well as other news about the Gala will be announced shortly.

“This is a time of the year that we want to spend with the ones we love the most,” said Julia Evora, MAPS Senior Center Coordinator. “We’re all a big family here and we wanted to celebrate Christmas with each one of them.”

MAPS’ Cambridge Senior Center currently has about 20-30 regulars and a floating population that doubles that number every year, swelling to much larger crowds for holiday parties and other special occasions. The Center offers nutritious lunches, social, recreational and educational activities, individual assistance and connections to services for seniors four days a week.

“We are very proud to offer this space where seniors can enjoy life and be away from isolation,” said Paulo Pinto, MAPS Executive Director. “We have plenty of room for more people to come and join us anytime.”

For more information about the Senior Center or how to join, please contact Julia Evora at (617) 864-7600 or jevora@maps-inc.org. The Center is also currently seeking volunteers with any skills, such as musical, artistic, culinary, crafts, storytelling and much more. The Senior Center receives regular funding from Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services, the JB Fernandes Trust of Rockefeller Philanthropies, the Charles H. Farnsworth Trust, Sailors’ Snug Harbor of Boston, the Bushrod H. Campbell & Adah F. Hall Charity Fund, The Americo J. Francisco Elders Fund, Cambridge Community Foundation, and Project Bread/The Walk for Hunger.