NEW OREANS – Children’s Advocacy Center – Hope House, an independent nonprofit dedicated to ending the cycle of child abuse on the Northshore, will honor seven local “Champions” at the fourth annual Champions for Children Breakfast, made possible by a Gift Given In Jesus’ Name and Gulf Coast Bank. The event will take place on Wednesday, April 9, from 7:30-9:30 a.m. at Fleur De Lis Event Center in Mandeville. Nominated by members of the community, these seven award winners are everyday heroes making an impact in the lives of children and families on the Northshore. This year’s Champions for Children award winners include:
- Rachel Adair, Executive Director of Northlake Crisis Pregnancy Center
- Brian Brown, Detective/Forensic Examiner with the Covington Police Department
- Judge David Merlin Duke, Bogalusa City Court
- Allie Harris, Child Protective Services Investigator with the Louisiana Dept. Of Children & Family Services
- Ann Ollendike, Founder/Executive Director of Basket of Hope Louisiana
- Tyler Pathoumthong, Detective with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office
- Ayushi Purohit, St. Scholastica Academy Student (Youth Champion)
Each year, Hope House also selects and honors a “Legacy Champion” who has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to the local fight against child abuse in particular, and who has been instrumental in advancing the mission of the organization. This year’s Legacy Champion is longtime Hope House supporter and community leader Caitlin Hunter, Corporate Affairs Representative for Chevron.
“Here on the Northshore, we are blessed with so many dedicated and passionate leaders from all backgrounds and professions who are making our community a better place for children and families,” said Thomas Mitchell, executive director of Hope House. “We are grateful for the opportunity to honor them through our Champions for Children Awards.”
The keynote speaker at this year’s breakfast is actor, director and producer Anthony Edwards. He played Dr. Mark Greene on the first eight seasons of “ER,” for which he received a Golden Globe Award and six Screen Actors Guild Awards and was nominated for four consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards. He has also appeared in various films and television series, including “Top Gun” (in which he played Tom Cruise’s ill-fated easy-going navigator/best friend, Lt. Nick “Goose” Bradshaw), “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” “Zodiac,” “Gotcha!,” “Miracle Mile,” “Revenge of the Nerds,” “Planes,” “Northern Exposure” and “Designated Survivor.”
In 2017, Edwards publicly disclosed that, as a child, he and his friends had been sexually assaulted for years, by producer and screenwriter Gary Goddard. Edwards became an outspoken advocate for other survivors. He served as Chairman of the Board of 1in6—an advocacy organization dedicated to male survivors of sexual abuse. He travels to universities, military bases, and beyond to raise awareness about the impact of sexual abuse on male survivors. In 2023, he joined the Board of Directors of Zero Abuse Project.
Tickets to the Champions for Children Breakfast on April 9 are $30 per person or $300 per reserved table of eight, and include a buffet breakfast. Tickets can be purchased at www.cachopehouse.org/events.
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