AUGUSTA — Maine Children’s Trust will honor four individuals, organizations and businesses for their efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect at a special event from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, at the DoubleTree hotel, 363 Maine Mall Road in Portland.

Presidential inaugural poet Richard Blanco will provide the keynote address for the event, now in its 13th year.

Honorees for 2016 include Marjorie Withers with the Caring Community Collaborative of Washington County; Renee Whitley of Franklin County’s Children’s Task Force; Franklin Savings Bank; and James Martin, director of the Office of Child and Family Services.

The Maine Children’s Trust is the statewide organization created by Maine statute to prevent the statewide abuse and neglect of Maine’s children. The Trust works closely with Maine’s county level Child Abuse Prevention councils, and other state and community programs and professionals to support and deliver an array of programs and services which work to support families and prevent abuse from occurring in the first place.

Cost is $50 per ticket, with dinner and entertainment provided. The event is open to the public. 

To register to attend the event, visit www.mechildrenstrust.org/?page_id=1233.