The Red Cross to Honor Liberian Born Philanthropist MacDella Cooper with the George W. Cutting Humanitarian Award

On Thursday May 3rd, the American Red Cross celebrates 95 years of service to Long Island at its annual Red & White Dinner Dance in Farmingdale, NY, at the Carlyle on the Green at Bethpage State Park. The Red Cross will present philanthropist MacDella Cooper, President & Chairman of the MacDella Cooper Foundation (MCF), with the George W. Cutting, Jr., Humanitarian Award, at the prestigious event.

In the early 1990’s, Ms. Cooper was one of the many refugees from the Liberian civil war that migrated to the United States. Today, through her humanitarian initiatives, Ms. Cooper has been widely touted as Liberia’s Angel because she has attracted international investors to Liberian markets and cultivated awareness of the plight of disenfranchised Liberian children. Additionally, in 2010, she opened the MCF Academy, a tuition-free boarding school for Liberian orphans.

“This truly will be a fantastic evening, at a wonderful venue, with outstanding honorees that have truly made a difference within our community and across the world,” said John Miller,chief executive officer of the Long Island Red Cross. “Most importantly, it will afford us the means to continue in our long service of helping Long Islanders at their darkest hours.”

About the American Red Cross: The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies more than 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join the blog.