PHILADELPHIA, PA
Each year, the Go Red for Women Red Dress Collection kicks off the prestigious Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City. Fashion models, actresses and celebrities parade down the runway clad in elegant red couture dresses specially designed to promote the American Heart Association’s fight against heart disease and stroke.
This year Philadelphia has an extra special reason to celebrate its Go Red for Women efforts. Philadelphia’s Conrad Booker was chosen out of hundreds of fashion designers to design a Red Dress Collection ensemble for “Empire” actress Ta’Rhonda Jones. Booker, a Temple University School of Architecture graduate and designer-in-residence in the Philadelphia Fashion Incubator with Macy’s Center City, is thrilled to send his creation down the runway. Booker says we can expect a “show-stopping look bathed in innovation” from his red dress.
Franklin Square, a supporter of the Philadelphia Go Red for Women initiative, will host a Red Dress Collection screening party on Thursday evening at its Navy Yard headquarters. “Franklin Square is proud to partner with the American Heart Association to lead the Philadelphia effort,” says Michael Gerber, Executive Vice President, who serves as President of the firm’s foundation. “We encourage all our employees to live healthy, active lifestyles and to engage in the community in support of important initiatives like this.”
“Philadelphia’s Go Red for Women program benefits from wonderful corporate sponsors like Franklin Square Capital Partners,” says Laura Hollot, Metro Vice President and Executive Director of the American Heart Association in Philadelphia. “Thanks to the support of organizations like Franklin Square, Philadelphia’s Go Red Luncheon in May was the second highest fundraiser in the nation!”
About the Franklin Square Foundation
The Franklin Square Foundation aims to positively impact its communities, championing civic leadership, volunteerism and philanthropy at all levels of the firm. Foundation programs include an employee service initiative (which offers monthly volunteer events), a charitable giving matching program and a disaster relief matching program.
About Franklin Square
Franklin Square is a leading manager of alternative investment funds designed to enhance investors’ portfolios by providing access to asset classes, strategies and asset managers that typically have been available to only the largest institutional investors. The firm’s funds offer “endowment-style” investment strategies that help construct diversified portfolios and manage risk. Franklin Square strives not only to maximize investment returns but also to set the industry standard for best practices by focusing on transparency, investor protection and education for investment professionals and their clients. As of September 30, 2015, the firm managed approximately $17.0 billion in total assets, including $15.7 billion in BDC assets, making it the largest manager of BDCs. For more information, please visit www.franklinsquare.com.
About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – the two leading causes of death in the world. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and =treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.