Hispanic group lauds two men for their work

Their names might not be familiar in everyday conversation, but their work affects thousands of area families.

Ralph Alvarez, president and chief operating officer of Oak Brook-based McDonald's Corp., and Philip Fuentes, a leading McDonald's franchisee, were honored this month for their contributions to El Valor, a 35-year-old not-for-profit group in Chicago that works to serve underprivileged families.

During the 35th annual Don Quixote dinner, which is the organization's biggest fundraiser, Alvarez received the Corporate Visionary Award.

Alvarez, McDonald's and Ronald McDonald House Charities helped construct El Valor's three Children and Family Centers, which offer services to more than 3,000 children and their families.

Fuentes, an El Valor board member, earned the Guadalupe A. Reyes Founder's Award for more than 20 years of service to the organization.

"Phil has really devoted enormous time, energy and resources," said David Cordova, El Valor spokesman.

And both men, Cordova says, have helped make El Valor one of the largest Hispanic not-for-profit organizations in the country.

When it was started 35 years ago in Chicago by Guadalupe Reyes, who struggled to find neighborhood resources for her son with disabilities, El Valor was made up of just a few families meeting in a church basement.

"It gives you an idea of how far El Valor has come," Cordova said. "We realized that in order to help a person with disabilities, you need to help the whole family. And now it has grown into a multi-purpose community organization that meets a variety of needs in Hispanic areas that have a high density population but very limited resources for enrichment and family support programs."

For details on El Valor's programs, visit www.elvalor.org.