As previously reported by GoodCelebrity, the NASCAR Foundation is holding its first-ever Foundation Honors Gala to celebrate “10 Years of Giving.” In light of has the unexpected passing of its Founder and Chairwoman Emeritus Betty Jane France in August, the event has taken on new significance.

Now, the Gala will pay tribute to France’s life and is being hosted by the France family including NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France, Betty’s son, and his wife Amy France. International Speedway Corporation CEO Lesa France Kennedy, Betty’s daughter, and NASCAR Vice Chairman and International Speedway Corporation Chairman Jim France, Betty’s brother-in-law, will also help emcee the event.

The Honors Gala takes place at in New York on Tuesday (September 27).

In addition, the Gala will celebrate the NASCAR Foundation’s exciting donation to the NYU Langone Medical Center. The $1 million charitable act is part of a multi-year partnership that will ultimately benefit hospitalized children. The Foundation’s goal is to enhance the Child Life Program at the Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital within the University’s medical center.

This is The NASCAR Foundation’s first multi-year partnership with a New York area hospital and marks its commitment to reach more kids nationally. According to a press release, NASCAR’s charitable arm has donated $25 million and impacted more than one million children since its inception in 2006.

“This is an important partnership for The NASCAR Foundation,” said NASCAR Vice Chairman Mike Helton.

“The work being done by the NYU Langone Medical Center is changing lives, each and every day. The NASCAR Foundation is proud to have an opportunity to support that important work and expand our commitment to improving the lives of children in need.”

The goal of this partnership is to ease the anxiety of children and their families during their hospital stay and promote faster recovery.  

“As leaders in the field of pediatrics, we’re proud to partner with The NASCAR Foundation whose generous philanthropic support provides extensive and meaningful programs to help children and their families,” said Catherine S. Manno, MD, the Pat and John Rosenwald Professor and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at NYU Langone.

“This sponsorship, in concert with our Sala Institute for Child and Family Centered Care, will strengthen our national exemplary model of care for children and their families.”

This partnership also marks further collaboration between NYU and NASCAR. In March, Brian France participated in NYU’s first Social Responsibility of Sports Conference where he pledged NASCAR’s support to improve social responsibility in sports.

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The star-studded event is slated to take place on September 27 in the Big Apple. During the gala, Betty Jane France, Founder and Chairwoman Emeritus of The NASCAR Foundation, will present the organization’s Humanitarian Award to a racing fan who has shown tremendous dedication to improving the lives of children in their communities.

Who will be this year’s finalists for #BJFHAward presented by @nationwide88? Tune into NASCAR America @ 6p tomorrow pic.twitter.com/PDVkQJpiJa

— TheNASCARFoundation (@NASCAR_FDN) July 12, 2016

According to a press release, the Humanitarian Award has benefitted nearly 200,000 children since launching six years ago. The winner is chosen through a public vote between four finalists beginning on Wednesday (July 13).

In addition to the Humanitarian Award, other honors will be handed out including the first-ever Founder’s Award, which recognizes philanthropy through use of time, talent and resources through professional and personal actions to make a meaningful impact on the lives of children.

This year’s recipient is Mark Lazarus, Chairman of the NBC Sports Group.

Lazarus serves on the board of governors of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America as well as the board of directors for the Atlanta-based East Lake Foundation, helping families build better lives through community revitalization with mixed-income housing, cradle-to-college education, and health and wellness programs.

“Mark is simply an exceptional individual and we could not have chosen a more deserving person to receive this inaugural award,” France said in a press release. “This will make the evening even more memorable and we thank all of our partners for their continued support.”

The NASCAR Foundation is also gearing up for the launch of its Speediatrics Children’s Fund to continue providing state-of-the-art medical treatment to more than 50,000 children on an annual basis.

“It is exciting to host this event in New York, the home of many great philanthropists, and to honor individuals that give so much of their personal time and energy towards helping others,” said Lorene King, Executive Director of The NASCAR Foundation. “We would like to thank Nationwide and all our partners for their support as we look back on what we have accomplished in 10 years and look forward to achieving even more going forward.”

In addition to the award ceremony, pop star Rachel Platten will perform her hits including “Fight Song” and “Stand by You” for the attendees.

A photo posted by Rachel Platten (@rachelplatten) on Jul 9, 2016 at 10:35am PDT

For ticket information or table sponsorships, please visit www.nascarfoundation.org/Honorsgala.

The post Rachel Platten Headlines The NASCAR Foundation’s Honors Gala to Celebrate 10 Years of Giving appeared first on Positive Celebrity News, Good Celebrity Gossip, Positive Entertainment News | Good Celebrity.