Giovanna Neuman
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Giovanna Neuman is opening her home to 100 women between 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. this Sunday for a Goddess Gala to benefit Family Programs Hawaii.
Already a miniature Shangri-La, her home will be swathed in silks and bathed in bedazzled décor for the second annual gathering of powerful women, young and old. There will be food, champagne, fortune telling, tarot reading, dancing, live entertainment by Simplicity, a silent auction, jewelry modeling, a dress-up tent and no shortage of girls-only fun.
But the best part of the entire shindig? Because Neuman pays for all of the food and entertainment herself, 100 percent of ticket sales and donations goes to support children in FPH’s Project Visitation, which reunites siblings separated in foster care through monthly outings and activities.
“Three years ago we inherited Project Visitation, and it needed some funds to keep going, so we decided we were going to do a fundraiser,” says FPH development director Connie Sizemore. “And Giovanna, loving parties, said ‘I’ll throw a party for 100 women at my house.’”
“Because I used to invite 100 kids, so now instead I invite 100 women,” Neuman adds. She goes on to explain that this party for a purpose started as a way to teach her 7-year-old daughter, ShaynaHana, about the importance of giving back. For ShaynaHana’s first birthday, Neuman invited foster children to her former home in Makaha to be treated to the usual favors and festivities most of us take for granted.
“She has been blessed, but there are many children that don’t have the same blessings,” says Neuman, who also throws parties for needy children and their families in her native Panama. “I feel it is better to spend the money that I will do on a big party on something that at least God will have compassion on me.”
In addition, Neuman, a celebrated artist, has offered one of her unique works of art (seen above) to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Copies of the painting will be available as greeting cards at familyprogramshawaii.org.
Tickets to the Goddess Gala cost $100, all of which is tax deductible. Contact Sizemore at 521-9531, ext. 224, or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) to RSVP.
“I’m just trying for my daughter to understand that she has to take care and teach other children in the future to do this,” Neuman says. “We have to create that consciousness, because always there will be children who need help.”
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