Last night Maria’s Women United, a group dedicated to empowering women to run for office, raised over $20,000 at their second annual Membership Reception and Awards Ceremony at Carlucci’s on the Waterfront in Mount Laurel.

The sell-out crowd of more than 200 attendees celebrated the life and legacy of Maria Barnaby Greenwald, the late beloved Mayor of Cherry Hill, in whose name Maria’s Women United was founded just a year ago. Fittingly, the event was scheduled to correspond with Maria Barnaby Greenwald’s birthday.

In attendance were such notables as: Maria’s son, State Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald; State Assemblywoman Pam Lampitt; State Assemblywoman Gabriela Mosquera, State Senator Jim Beach; Deb DiLorenzo, President of the South Jersey Chamber of Commerce; Bob Fox, President of the State Fraternal Order of Police; Christian Fuscarino Executive Director of Garden State Equality; Christine Sadovy, Advocacy Director of the Planned Parenthood for the Central and Greater Northern New Jersey area.

The evening’s honorees were comprised of women who each come from vastly different backgrounds and work in a variety of fields, but who all share the same qualities of fearlessness, grit, and a willingness to stand up for what they know is right.

Amaya Diggins, Hijabi Fits, Rising Star Award
Loretta Winters, Gloucester County NCAAP, Empowerment Award
Marianne Aleardi, SJ Magazine, Corporate/Business Award
Mayor Dana L. Redd, Camden City, Public and Community Service Award
G. Lynn Brown, Planned Parenthood, The Maria Barnaby Greenwald Legacy Award

Also honored in a surprise award was Carol Murphy, founder of Maria’s Women United, and current candidate for state assembly in the 7th Legislative district, alongside Dr. Herb Conaway. Carol is running to represent the values that Maria Greenwald embodied – fierce intelligence, grace through adversity, and a legacy of caring and empathy for her community that reverberates throughout the South Jersey region to this day.

“Maria’s Women United embodies everything my mother ever hoped she could have achieved,” said Majority Leader Greenwald. “She valued and passed on to her children that we must always be mindful of the example we leave to others behind us. This group sets the benchmark to leave a lasting legacy for generations of women to become inspired, like my mom, to run for office and touch thousands of lives.”

Maria’s Women United will be using the funds raised tonight to support women running to represent their communities at the state, county and local levels in 2017, as well as to host smaller empowerment and philanthropic events throughout the region.

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Contact: Alexis Degan 609-828-7931