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One of the highlights of the evening is the Lifetime Achievement Award bestowed on the acclaimed entertainer, Tony Award winner, and Emmy nominee\u00a0Ben Vereen<\/a>. His award will be presented by 5-time Emmy winner and Grammy-nominated Actor, Host, and Comedian\u00a0Wayne Brady<\/a>\u00a0at the 2nd Annual\u00a0CFB Foundation<\/a>\u00a0Heart of Gold Awards Gala on Sunday, March 29, 2026, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, 9500 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90212. Green Carpet arrivals are from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The gala will be hosted by award-winning actresses and comedians Kym Whitley and Caroline Rhea, bringing an evening of elegance, entertainment, and impact to one of Beverly Hills\u2019 most anticipated philanthropic events,” said Julian L. Bannister, CFB Foundation Co-Founder and President and CEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Esteemed Heart of Gold honorees include: Live performances will be provided by entertainers Freda Payne, Elaine Gibbs & NuSoul Band, Major, CeCe Peniston, Former Ladies of the Supremes, Thea Austin, and Diana Tash. Winner of Alpha TV’s The Bachelor (Greek season 2) Athena Vas, a Greek American author, educator, TV personality, bodybuilding champion, and motivational powerhouse, shares her story of becoming a caregiver to her mom at 22. Vas helped her mom relearn how to walk, talk, and live again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The Heart of Gold Awards Gala supports the Senior Support Movement, a growing initiative that combats loneliness, neglect, and isolation among elderly Americans,”<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n said Julian L. Bannister. According to the foundation, 11,000 Americans turn 65 every day. By 2054, nearly 23 percent of Americans will be 65 years or older. Yet less than 2 percent of philanthropic funding goes to senior causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Founded nearly two years ago, the Cynthia F. Blaizes Foundation was established following a deeply personal family experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen my grandmother told us she felt like she did not belong anymore, that changed everything,\u201d said Bannister. “Yannick and I made a promise that no senior would feel lonely, neglected, or undervalued again. What you are witnessing through our programs is the very thing we implemented to lift her spirits. Sometimes it is a 30-second phone call. Sometimes it is 15 minutes of conversation. That small act can change an entire day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n CFB Foundation Co-Founder, Vice President and CFO Yannick Jules-Bannister added, \u201cEveryone says they support children because they are our future. But what happens when those children become seniors? Do we forget them? Aging is a universal journey. If we do not advocate for dignity now, we will one day face the same gaps ourselves. This movement is about honoring those who built the foundations we stand on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Managing Director of the CFB Foundation, Trinh Clark, said the mission reflects a shared human experience. \u201cBelonging does not expire with age. Our seniors deserve connection, voice, and community. Through sponsorships, volunteer engagement, and advocacy, we are building a space where every generation knows they matter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kabara Vereen, daughter of honoree Ben Vereen, shared a heartfelt reflection during the Heart of Gold Gala launch reception hosted by founders Julian L. Bannister and Yannick Jules Bannister, emphasizing the importance of honoring aging with dignity and ensuring the senior community remains visible, valued, and celebrated. \u201cPrecious people, I met both of them [Julian and Yannick] a couple of weeks ago, and we started talking about the foundation. My dad is being honored by the CFB Foundation, and I was heartened by the mission. My father has been in the entertainment business since he was six years old. He has known fame and recognition his entire life. About a year ago, he was playing the Hollywood Bowl, and I was checking him into a hotel. He is very mild-mannered and easy with people, but he became upset when the attendant spoke only to me and did not acknowledge him. Here is my father, who has been famous all my life, and he felt invisible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe have also navigated health journeys with him, and there are moments within the medical system where he has felt unseen. That is something we battle every day as a family. Aging is not something to hide. It is something to honor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe CFB Foundation understands something this country sometimes forgets. Our elders are not burdens. They are libraries. They are bridges. They are living testimonies of survival, sacrifice, and wisdom. This work is about access to care, protection of dignity, combating isolation, supporting caregivers, and advocating for policies that defend the vulnerable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn a time when too many elders feel invisible, you are saying, \u2018We see you. We value you. We will protect you.\u2019 As someone who has walked many stages in life and now walks in the season of elderhood myself, I know how powerful it is to be treated not as someone fading, but as someone still becoming. May we continue to build a country that does not discard its elders but honors them as the foundation upon which everything else stands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Award-winning Legendary Actress Lynn Whitfield is the recipient of the Trailblazer Award
\u2022 Cultural Icon and Trailblazer Garrett Morris, to receive the Pioneer Award, to be presented by his Cooley High co-star and longtime friend Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs
\u2022 Judge Mablean Ephriam, Founder of the Mablean Ephriam Foundation and star of Justice with Judge Mablean, to receive the Legacy of Distinction Award
\u2022 Clara Chiu-Torres, Vice President of Development at Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL), is the recipient of the Aging Ally Award<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n