Special Olympics MA Receives $8,800 from McGladrey Culinary Challenge for Charity

Feb. 11, 2011 - PRLog -- Special Olympics Massachusetts (SOMA) recently received a total of $8,800 in donations from McGladrey and the McGladrey Foundation (formerly the Caturano Foundation), following the recent McGladrey Culinary Challenge for Charity. SOMA is a leader in providing healthy lifestyles through year-round sports and healthcare-related programs for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

The December 7th event, sponsored by Caturano and Company, which now operates under the McGladrey brand following the firm’s acquisition last year by RSM McGladrey and McGladrey & Pullen, paired seven charitable organizations with renowned Boston-area chefs and media personalities as celebrity “Sous-chefs.”

Team SOMA was led by Dave Kartunen of WHDH-TV7 NEWS and Frank McClelland of L’Espalier. Each of the seven participating nonprofits received a base $7,500 donation from the McGladrey Foundation, and a friendly competition resulted in an additional $10,000 being donated, for a grand total of more than $60,000 being donated to Boston-area nonprofits. SOMA will use its funds to help fund athlete trainings, competitions, health screenings and health education.

“We are deeply grateful to McGladrey and the McGladrey Foundation for planning such a great event and for making a significant impact in the lives of local Special Olympics athletes,” said Robert Johnson, SOMA’s president and CEO. “Time, talent and financial resources shared by committed corporate citizens like McGladrey help over 12,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities live longer, healthier, happier lives.”

Participating nonprofits included Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, The Genesis Fund, Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries, The Jewish National Fund, The Lenny Zakim Fund, Boston Police Activities League and Special Olympics. Participating local restaurants included Restaurant dante, Towne, Legendary restaurant Group, Oyster, Gargoyles on the Square, Prezza, and L’Espalier. Celebrity Sous-chefs included WHDH-TV 7’s Janet Wu, WCVB-TV Channel 5’s retired anchor Natalie Jacobson, Boston Magazine’s Donna Garlough, WBZ news Radio 1030’s Jordan Rich, TV Diner and Matty in the Morning’s Billy Costa, Forays of a Finance Foodie’s Athena Yang, and WHDH-TV’s Kartunen.

The event was attended by more than 700 guests, including Police Commissioner Ed Davis, Police Superintendent Paul Fitzgerald, Eastern Bank President Bob Rivers, Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston President and CEO Josh Kraft, RSM McGladrey President C.E. Andrews and RSM McGladrey Managing Director Johnnie James.

You can learn more about the McGladrey Foundation by calling Linda Gizzi at (617) 241-1285.

About McGladrey
McGladrey is the brand under which RSM McGladrey, Inc., and McGladrey & Pullen, LLP, serve clients’ business needs. Together, they rank as the fifth largest U.S. provider of assurance, tax and consulting services, with 7,000 professionals and associates in nearly 90 offices. The two firms operate as separate legal entities in an alternative practice structure. McGladrey & Pullen is a licensed CPA firm that provides assurance services. RSM McGladrey is a leading professional services firm providing tax and consulting services. Both firms are members of RSM International, the sixth largest global network of independent accounting, tax and consulting firms. For more information, visit the McGladrey website at www.mcgladrey.com, join our Facebook fan page at McGladrey News and/or follow us on Twitter @McGladrey.

About Special Olympics
Special Olympics is an international organization that changes lives by promoting understanding, acceptance and inclusion between people with and without intellectual disabilities. Through year-round sports training, athletic competition, and other health-related programming for more than 3.5 million children and adults with intellectual disabilities in more than 180 countries (including 12,168 in Massachusetts), Special Olympics has created a model community that celebrates people's diverse gifts. Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Special Olympics provides people with intellectual disabilities continuing opportunities to realize their potential, develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage and experience joy and friendship. There is no cost to participate in Special Olympics. For more information, please visit Special Olympics online at www.specialolympicsma.org.

# # #

Special Olympics is an international organization that changes lives by promoting understanding, acceptance and inclusion between people with and without intellectual disabilities.