CARE, one of the world's leading humanitarian organizations fighting global poverty, marked its 59th anniversary on May 6, 2005 with a series of intimate dinners hosted by 35 ambassadors, followed by an evening of dessert and dancing. The dinners took place at ambassadors' residences throughout Washington, D.C., while the CARE Ball was held at the historic Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium.

The annual CARE Anniversary Celebration commemorates the sending of the first CARE package on May 11, 1946, to provide relief to survivors of World War II. The theme of the 59th Anniversary Celebration — "Connections: Building a Better World Together" — highlighted the importance of "working in collaboration with many thousands of dedicated partners to advance our shared vision of a better world," explained benefit co-chairs Jeanne Warner, wife of Sen. John Warner (R-VA); Franki Roberts, wife of Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS); and Diane Nelson, wife of Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE).

Embassies hosting pre-Ball dinners included: Afghanistan, Angola, Argentina, Austria, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Finland, Guatemala, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Korea, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, New Zealand, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Switzerland, Syria, Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative's office, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom of Great Britain, and Yemen.

His Excellency Frans van Daele, the Ambassador of Belgium, and Baroness van Daele, served as International Chairs for the Anniversary Celebration and hosted a special diplomatic reception on May 4, 2005.

The event honored the Diplomatic Corps and the international relationships that make CARE's work possible throughout the world.

CARE is grateful to its corporate partners for their support of the Anniversary Celebration: Nortel, The Domain Group, UPS, Bellsouth, Lockheed Martin, Motorola, Union Pacific Company, Alion Science & Tech, BAE Systems, Boeing Company, Cereal Food Processors, Chevron, General Motors, Gillette, HP, Maersk Line, Nationwide, Raytheon, Sealift International, Wal-Mart Stores, America Cargo Transport, APL, ADM, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Brown-Forman, Cargill, Central Gulf/Waterman Steamship, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, The Cohen Group, DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary, Fed Ex, Freeport McMoRan, Hitachi, Koch Industries, Muller Shipping, Randstad and Weyerhaeuser.

The 59th Anniversary Celebration similarly recognized CARE programs, which empower women and improve the lives of families and communities around the world. "CARE understands the unique roles women play in the developing world and the distinct challenges they face," said CARE USA President Peter D. Bell. "Through our holistic approach, impoverished women are able to borrow money for small income-generating activities, receive literacy and financial training, learn improved methods of farming, access basic health care for themselves and their children and send their daughters to school." It is those programs and the many others CARE supports that benefit from the proceeds of the Anniversary Celebration.

CARE helps communities improve their quality of life through projects in agriculture and natural resources, economic development, education, food, health, water and sanitation and emergency response. In 2004, CARE supported a record 870 poverty-fighting projects, reaching more than 45 million people in over 70 countries. CARE USA contributed $517 million to those efforts. For nearly six decades, CARE has reflected a remarkable spirit of giving on behalf of the American people. As one of this country's first large-scale international charities, CARE has served as a model of how everyday citizens in the United States can empower poor people around the world to help themselves.