Unlimited Possibilities Overcoming Poverty Ministry, Inc. (UPOP Ministry) is a mentoring/intervention ministry created to empower females from a poverty background who are college bound, or enrolled in a trade school, by helping them to develop effective ways to resist negative peer pressure, to avoid teen pregnancy, drug addiction, violence and other negative influences. For more information on UPOP Ministry click here . . .
13th Annual Awards Banquet Will Be Held in the Fall
UPOP Ministry’s 13th Annual
“Women Touching the World” Awards Banquet has been a premiere event during Women's History Month for a dozen years. The gala affair was originally scheduled for March 2020, but the Covid-19 Pandemic has caused the banquet to be postponed twice. The new date for the awards banquet is October 16, 2021 at 7 pm. It will be held at the Buffalo/Niagara
Convention Center. The organization will honor 45
exceptional women at the upcoming event. All tickets purchased for the March 21, 2020
gala will be honored for the rescheduled awards banquet.
This year the Keynote Speaker for the banquet will be Aitina Fareed-Cooke, an award-winning photographer and hip hop artist also known as "A.I." She is the first female to be signed to one of Christian Hip Hop's notable labels, God Over Money. Crystal Barton will be the recipient of organization's first "Maya Angelou Still I Rise Award." The family of the late Mother Nancy Manney will be presented with Memorial Award.
The honorees are: Gloria Babbs, Crystal Barton, Pastor Jackie Ross Brown, Felecia Beard, Trinisha S. Brown, LaTash D. Bulluck, Madison Carter, Petrina Hill-Cheatom, Schurron Cowart, Rashida Dowell, Jenine Dunn, Brenda David, Francella Fitzgerald, Clintonia D. Elmore, Tiffany Nails-Ford, Dr. Ida Gibson, Nikki Hicks, Jo Ann B. Hudson, Misty Garrett, Teena M. Jones, Brittany LaBella, Evette Phillips, Jocelyn Guthrie, Dr. Juanita Hunter, Rosemary Hicks, Samantha Hutchins, Falonia LaMar, Kimberly Manney, Pastor Debra Morse, Gabrielle Mosher, Denise Mullen, Vernice Norman, Paula Prince, Deborah A. Porter, Dr. Ramona Reynolds, Nicole O. Staley, Tameka Thomas, Pasha L. Turner, Syntvia Taylor, Rebecca Town, Jazmin Wiggins, Dr. Tonja M. Williams, Randa Welch and Bettye W. Wyatt.
Awards will be presented by Shannon Smith from WIBV TV Channel 4 and Karys Belger from WGRZ TV Channel 2.
Proceeds from the event help to fund scholarships for young women enrolled in college.
42 Outstanding Women Honored at UPOP Ministry's 2019 Gala
On March 23, 2019, UPOP Ministry held its annual "Women Touching the World" Awards Banquet as part of the celebration of National Women’s History Month. Each year this gala event honors a special group of women from all walks of life, whom are nominated for the awards by individuals, churches and community organizations.
The award recipients for 2019 are: Corine Alston, Orinthia Baker, Robin Barker, Tyra M. Blodgett, Valarie Booker, Charmaine Bowman, Bertha Brinson, Shyana Broughton, Marie A. Cannon, La'Toya M. Chestnut, Destani Cleveland, Tiffany Cole, Sirgourney Cook, Alaina Cottrell, Kenyana David, Cherish Davis, Kia Michele Debnam, Annette Fontanez, Christina Foster, Veronica Golden, Tracey L. Green, Susan Grelick, Linda Hardaway, Renee Harns, Tonya Harris, Nekia Kemp, Danetta Y. McKinnon, Faustenia L. G. Morrow, Sharon Parmer, Kristeka Rogers, Jacqueline E. Rushton, Christine Salamone, Nakisha Satchell-Bridgers, Karen Saxon, Denay Scales, Aquana L. Sherrod, Sabriyah Smith, A'Dina Stevens, Racheal Tarapacki, Christina J. Williams, Sharon Wilson and Ottilie M. Woodruff.
UPOP Ministry also awarded scholarships to five Legacy Honorees: Marnisha Brooks, Temara Cross, Jaleah Greene, Estella Johnson and Jazmine Richardson. The essays written by these five special young women were featured in the souvenir journal for the banquet.
The proceeds from UPOP Ministry's annual banquet helps to finance the organization's scholarship fund. UPOP Ministry annually awards $1,000 scholarships to young women who have been accepted for enrollment in a college or trade school or who are already attending college or trade school.
This year UPOP Ministry awarded scholarships to five outstanding young women. The scholarship recipients for 2019 are Marnisha Brooks, Temara Cross, Jaleah Greene, Estella Johnson and Jazmine Richardson. Essays written by these special young women were featured in the souvenir journal distributed to banquet guests.
To read the scholarship winners' essays, click here. . .
UPOP Ministry's third Annual Memorial Award was presented to the family of the late Mother Janet Louise Clark; a woman whose life was devoted to service to the Lord and His church.
Learn more about this Mother Clark,click here . . ..
The proceeds from UPOP Ministry's annual banquet helps to finance the organization's scholarship fund. UPOP Ministry annually awards $1,000 scholarships to young women who have been accepted for enrollment in a college or trade school or who are already attending college or trade school. 
