Some call it one of the most heart-warming happenings of the Expo for Women Ladies Day Out Celebration hosts the Ladies Night Out Cocktail Party for Charity, Michiana Shop and Greet presents the 7th Annual Michiana Angel Awards. This year Kristin Bien, WSBT news anchor & Cindy Cohen, C2 Your Health Women’s Initiative Inc. in recognition of International Women’s Day.

The Michiana Angel Awards recognizes the outstanding achievement of people in our area who give back to our community in special ways. Those chosen are volunteers and/or organizations that most often, very quietly, support the important work in the Michiana community.
This spring the Michiana Angel Award is being recognized as volunteer of year is Terri Russ, founder of Michiana Women Leaders Inc.

The Michiana Women Leaders Project seeks to collect the life stories of women who would have been forgotten but are completely unforgettable. Despite the myriad ways that women’s leadership has contributed to society as we know it today, including in the Michiana area, very little about their contributions has been documented or recorded. Leaders come in many shapes and forms and in many arenas from philanthropy to political to community activism to religion to education, as well as many others. When we think of leaders we think of women.

Since 2013 Angel Award recognition: Paula Sours, Shield of Faith Ministry, Goodwill Industries of Michiana, Tammie Gustafson, Intense Intervention Teach - Coordinator & Coach United Sports, Cultivate Culinary School & Catering, Salvation Army Kroc Church of South Bend, Hello Gorgeous! of Hope Inc., Dismas House of South Bend, Sassy Magazine Women to Watch (2015), Salvation Army Kroc Church of South Bend ) and Hello Gorgeous! of Hope Inc.

The Expo for Women mission is to help women from all walks of life by educating, empowering and women through community collaboration to improve their quality of life. The Expo for Women for 30 years has been the first and largest-of-its-kind women’s event. This amazing spring event attracts 60 exhibitors, 3,000 attendees and community of volunteers for a whole day of beauty inside and out.

The charities selected for 2020 are:
One Day at a Time: One month at a time collects and distributes menstrual products. Often pantries, shelters, schools and other safe places are lacking these products. To counter this, our program focuses on this direct need by designating collection sites collecting donated feminine hygiene products distributing them to local organizations.

H.O.T. Hear Our Tears: Let's talk about NO abuse, bullying or violence, also skills to identify unhealthy behaviors and relationships

C2 Your Health Women’s Initiative Inc.: C2 Your Health Women’s Initiative is committed to foster a culture of health, wellness and economic success through collaboration that supports high school girls, college and women who live-in at-risk neighborhoods through entrepreneur leadership mentoring.

Since 2007 the Expo for Women annual community giving initiative gives for one day to organizations who give for a lifetime to date 39 charities have been recognized at the Ladies Day Out each spring in Michiana.

To learn about Expo for Women go to http://www.ExpoForWomenSouthBend.org