NEW YORK, Nov. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Innovators for veterans and foster youth were among the celebrity-studded crowd of 400 who turned out to celebrate the importance of work in people's lives at Fedcap's annual gala Monday.

The 2012 Celebration of Work, held at The New York Public Library, drew leaders of city, state and federal agencies and a wide range of other supporters of Fedcap (http://www.fedcap.org/) and its Wildcat Service Corp., The Way to Work and ReServe operations.

Among the honorees and featured speakers:

• Gen. Montgomery Meigs (Ret.), President & CEO of Business Executives for National Security with a distinguished 35-year career in the U.S. Army, received Fedcap's Leadership Award. BENS members include corporate leaders across the country who help government address such national problems as the high unemployment rate among returning veterans.

• Warren Stephens, Chairman, President & CEO of Stephens Inc., accepted the Fedcap Excellence in Media Award on behalf of Stephens Media for its Saluting American Valor series, which told the stories of U.S. service members decorated for combat heroism in Iraq and Afghanistan.

• Marie Tillman, President and Co-Founder of the Pat Tillman Foundation and a staunch advocate for service members, veterans and military families, presented the Excellence in Media award.

• Brenda Donald, Director of the District of Columbia Child and Family Services Agency, received the Community Impact Award for her innovative leadership on behalf of youth in foster care.

• David Cone, former New York Yankees pitcher and World Series Champion, accepted the Community Leadership Award on behalf of the Yankees in recognition of the team's community support of young people, veterans and other vulnerable populations.

• Lauren Molina, star of hit shows including Marry Me a Little and Sweeney Todd, provided the entertainment.

U.S. unemployment is still near 8 percent nationally and much higher among teen-agers, Post-9/11 veterans and others who face barriers to employment. The nonprofit Fedcap helps thousands of people each year – including veterans, youth who have spent time in foster care, the formerly incarcerated and people with disabilities – succeed in education and employment and move toward economic independence. Fedcap places people in jobs across a wide variety of sectors and employs 1,800 in its own businesses.

About Fedcap: Fedcap helps people break through barriers to achieve long-term economic independence. Our programs and operations bring education and the power of work to youth in transition, adults with conviction histories, veterans, individuals with disabilities and many others facing barriers to employment. We place people in jobs across a wide variety of sectors and employ 1,800 in our own businesses. Fedcap is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For more information or to make a donation, call 212-727-4200 or visit www.fedcap.org.  Follow Fedcap on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/fedcap) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/Fedcap).

Media Contacts: Barbara Rosen, VP, Communications at 212-727-4260 or brosen@fedcap.org; James Cook, Communications Coordinator, at 212-727-4375 or jcook@fedcap.org

SOURCE Fedcap