CABS Health Network – a community-based healthcare organization dedicated to expanding access to care, closing gaps in health and social services, and strengthening care coordination across Brooklyn and New York City – on Wednesday, Oct. 14, honored The Real Housewives of Atlanta’s Cynthia Bailey during its annual Circle of Care Awards (COCA) 2026 Fundraising Gala at Park Lane Hotel in midtown Manhattan.
CABS bestowed its Caregiver of the Year Award on Bailey during the annual gala that serves as a “celebration of community leadership, a call to partnership, and an opportunity to invest in healthier, more connected communities across Brooklyn and the greater New York City area.”
CABS said Bailey, an international supermodel, actress, entrepreneur, and television personality known for her longtime role on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, was recognized for her dedication to uplifting others and her deeply personal journey as a primary caregiver to her mother, Barbara Ford Morris, who was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer in 2022.
CABS pointed to a 2025 report from Johns Hopkins University that says that “approximately 63 million people in this country serve as caregivers, of whom only about 5 million do so in a paid capacity.”
New York City Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, the Haitian-born representative for the 46th Council District, was also be honored with the Community Innovator Award.
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William Andrew, CABS’ co-founder, addresses ceremony.Photo by Nelson A. King[/caption]
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Sherly Demosthenes-Atkinson, the Haitian-born president and CEO of CABS delivers opening remarks.Photo by Nelson A. King[/caption]
SOMOS, Inc. Executive Director Rosa Maria Pelton Alcantara received the Community Leadership & Advocacy Award, and Jobed LaPointe received the Care Community Partner Award for their pioneering contributions across New York City.
In addition, Bernadette Quick, Anselma Trinidad, Mirielle Anelson and Maribel Jones were honored as Caregivers of the Year, representing over a century of combined caregiving experience.
City Council Member Chris Banks, whose mother hailed from Trinidad and Tobago and who represents the 42nd Council District in Brooklyn, presented citations to Narcisse and the other honorees.
This year's event was held in Manhattan for the first time and centered on the theme of putting "Care at the Center," bringing together healthcare professionals, civic leaders, supporters and advocates.
CABS said the evening raised critical support for its Health Network’s ongoing initiatives, which include home care, care coordination, disease prevention, food access, community outreach and neighborhood partnerships.
“Tonight, as I look across this room, I see more than distinguished guests. I see a community united by a shared belief: That every human being deserves to be seen. To be valued. To be respected. And above all, to be cared for,” said Sherly Demosthenes-Atkinson, the Haitian-born president and CEO of CABS in her opening remarks.
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Sherly Demosthenes-Atkinson, right, with representatives for the late Inez Harvey.Photo by Nelson A. King[/caption]
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Bernadette Quick receives award flanked by CAB executives.Photo by Nelson A. King[/caption]
“Our theme this evening is ‘Care at the Center,’” she added. “Three simple words. But behind those words is a profound responsibility, because care is not simply a service we provide. Care is a promise we make: A promise to the mother trying to hold her family together; to the older adult who wishes to remain independent in the home they love; to the person living with illness or disability who deserves to be treated with dignity; and to every family who places their trust in the hands of a caregiver.
“At CABS Health Network, we understand the weight of that trust,” Demosthenes-Atkinson continued. “And we understand something else: Behind every person receiving care is someone making the decision, every single day, to show up; someone who rises before the sun; someone who travels across this city in the rain, the snow and the cold; someone who prepares a meal, offers a steady hand, listens to a familiar story, or simply sits beside someone who does not want to feel alone.”
She said these are the moments that rarely make headlines.
“They do not always come with applause,” Demosthenes-Atkinson said. “And, too often, the people responsible for them go unrecognized.
“But tonight, we recognize them,” she added. “Tonight, we honor the hands that care, the hearts that serve, and the quiet acts of compassion that change lives. To every caregiver in this room: We see you, we value you, and we thank you.”
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Council Member Mercedes Narcisse receive award and citation from Sherly Demosthenes-Atkinson, right, and Council Member Chris Banks, respectively.Photo by Nelson A. King[/caption]
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Joe LaPointe and his son, Gabriel, with Sherly Demosthenes-Atkinson, second from right, and a CAB representative.Photo by Nelson A. King[/caption]
Demosthenes-Atkinson thanked the honorees for “reminding us that leadership is not measured solely by titles or accomplishments.
“True leadership is measured by the lives we touch and the difference we leave behind,” she said. “And to our entire CABS family, thank you for your dedication, resilience and unwavering commitment to serving others.
“Tonight is a celebration, but it is also a reminder that our work is not finished,” she added. “There are still families struggling to access the support they need. There are still older adults facing isolation.
“And there are still caregivers carrying extraordinary responsibilities without the recognition and resources they deserve,” Demosthenes-Atkinson continued. “But I stand before you tonight with tremendous hope, because I know what is possible when compassion meets commitment; when leadership meets purpose; and when organizations, businesses, government, and communities come together—not simply to talk about change, but to create it.
“So tonight, I ask each of you to remember this: Care is not a privilege reserved for a few; it is a responsibility we share for one another,” she said. “And a Circle of Care is only as strong as our willingness to keep widening it.”
Williams Andrew, CABS’ co-founder, told the ceremony: “It is with great honor we highlight our honorees tonight that exemplify what CABS was founded on, the passion to serve, educate, and inspire your fellow man.”
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SOMOS, Inc. Executive Director Rosa Maria Pelton Alcantara receives the Community Leadership & Advocacy Award flanked by Sherly Demosthenes-Atkinson, left, and Dr. Christopher D. Hickey, CABS’ director of Integrated Care Operations.Photo by Nelson A. King[/caption]
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The Real Housewives of Atlanta’s Cynthia Bailey receives the Caregiver of the Year Award from Sherly Demosthenes-Atkinson, right, and Dr. Christopher D. Hickey. .Photo by Nelson A. King[/caption]
He said CABS was born more than 50 years ago in a storefront office in front of the Marcy projects in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.
“Now, more than 50 years later, CABS has developed a health network under the leadership of President and CEO Sherly Demosthenes-Atkinson that would exemplify what can be accomplished when people serve, educate and inspire their fellow-man,” he added.
Bailey said she felt “wonderful to be recognized, though I’ll be honest—it’s a little hard to wrap my head around receiving an award for taking care of my mama.
“In my heart, I’m doing what feels right as her daughter. She’s always been there for me, and now I want to be there for her,” she said, disclosing that her mother survived breast cancer and is “living with diabetes and other health issues.
“It’s hard watching someone you love face things you can’t fix, especially your mother, because you grew up believing she could fix just about anything,” Bailey added.
“Thank you again for this honor,” she continued. “I’m grateful to accept it, and even more grateful for the opportunity to be there for my mother. May we all find ways to be there for one another.”
Narcisse, a registered nurse by training, who represents the 46th Council District in Brooklyn, expressed gratitude for the Circle of Care Award.
“Also, I want to say thank you to all the honorees,” she said.
“Your staff goes beyond because of your leadership,” added Narcisse referring to Demosthenes-Atkinson. “Thank you for being who you are. I’m grateful for being a community innovator.
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The Real Housewives of Atlanta’s Cynthia Bailey addresses gala.Photo by Nelson A. King[/caption]
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Honorees with Councilman Chris Banks, second from left, and Sherly Demosthenes-Atkinson, the Haitian-born president and CEO of CABS, fourth from left.Photo by Nelson A. King[/caption]
Pelton-Alcantara “sincerely” thanked CABS Health Network for “this incredible honor.
“To be recognized for community leadership and advocacy is deeply meaningful to me because this work has never been just a job; it has always been about people,” she said.
“I accept this award with gratitude, but also with a renewed sense of responsibility, because the real measure of leadership is not the title we hold or the recognition we receive. It is what we do with our position to make life better for someone else.”
Joe LaPointe and his son, Gabriel, read a statement on behalf of Jobed LaPointe.
“The work we do asks a lot of us, emotionally and physically,” they said. “You deserve the kindness you give so freely to others.
“So do me a favor. Say this with me: ‘I love myself,’” they added, with patrons obliging. “Carry that love into how you treat yourself tomorrow. Give yourself permission to rest, to receive support and to begin again.
“Cheers to all of you doing the work,” the LaPointes continued. “Thank you for the lives you touch, for the hope you bring, and for seeing me. Make room for joy, be well and continue to do good.”
Demosthenes-Atkinson said that, for more than four decades, CABS has been “rooted in the belief that meaningful care must begin with people.
“Our journey began with a commitment to serve communities whose needs were too often overlooked,” she said. “Today, that commitment reaches beyond the walls of any single institution.
“Our Circle of Care extends into homes, neighborhoods and communities—connecting healthcare with food access, housing, prevention, advocacy, and the essential support that allows people to live healthier, more independent lives,” she added.
Dr. Christopher D. Hickey, CABS’ director of Integrated Care Operations, said: “Without collaborations such as all of you, we would not have been gifted the divine opportunity to serve the community for over 60 years.
“For that alone, I can say we have been blessed, and we move forward in the mantra spoken by Hilary Rodham Clinton (former US Secretary of State and presidential candidate), that it truly takes a village,” he added. “You, ladies and gentlemen, are the village with whom we stand united.”
CABS said proceeds from COCA 2026 directly fund community health programs across New York City. 