Blue Star Families, a group to which Connie Milstein is very dedicated and serves as a member of the Board of Directors, was recognized as a “Champion of Change” at an even hosted by the White House Office of Public Engagement last Thursday. The administration recognized Blue Star Families based on the organization’s work in the area of suicide prevention. Earlier this summer, Blue Star Families partnered with The Creative Coalition to produce a series of public service announcements aimed at military families and veterans as a response to an opinion piece that appeared in the LA Times titled, “Where is the ‘It Gets Better’ suicide awareness campaign for our military?”, written by Blue Star Families member Alison Buckholtz. The PSAs have aired on network and cable television stations, movie theater screens, radio station and even taxis.

“We are honored to receive this recognition from the White House,” said Mark Smith, executive director of Blue Star Families, Inc., in a statement released by the organization. “The suicide rate among our soldiers and their families is at a record high. We hope this public service campaign will help military families realize they have somewhere to turn for confidential help.”

Champion of Change is part of the Winning the Future initiative introduced by President Obama as a way to recognize ordinary Americans who are contributing enormous efforts to change the world. Each week, the White House Office of Public Engagement selects a different Champion of Change recipient; an individual or group may be selected for their community efforts or helping the U.S. rise to meet the challenges facing our country in the 21st century.

At the Kennedy Center’s gala in honor of the 50^th anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s presidency, Denyce Graves sang a powerful tribute to Grace Bumbry and the White House concert in 1962, in which Bumbry was introduced to America. Bumbry, a 2009 Kennedy Center Honoree, pushed past racial, social and artistic boundaries through her voice.

The event is part of the Rubenstein Program, and is supported by David and Alice Rubenstein, Connie Milstein and others.