"Giving Back in the Spirit" was the theme of the 2004 Grants Award Program hosted on Saturday, October 30, 2004 by the Edler G. Hawkins Foundation, Inc. Maurice Hines, the acclaimed stage, screen, and television entertainer received the Foundation's First Legacy Award for his 'unique artistic contribution to the international landscape."

The Foundation also gave unrestricted grants of $10,000 to the Classical Theater of Harlem, $5,000 to Thirteen/WNET New York's Interactive and Broadband unit, and $2,500 each to the Children's Art Carnival and Urban Bush Women. The event was held at Thirteen's main studio in midtown Manhattan.

In accepting his award, Mr. Hines commented on the importance of family support. He praised his mother's ability to maintain three jobs and transport him and his younger brother, Gregory, to dance classes. He dedicated his award to his father and the family stating "my mother and brother are standing here with me."

The evening's program included performances by each grant recipient. Zora Howard, an 11-year-old Harlem resident, performed the prologue of Trojan Woman. Ms Howard, a Harlem School of the Arts drama student who has performed in numerous productions with the 6-year-old Classical Theatre of Harlem (CTH), also recited her original poem - a commentary of the state of war with Iraq. Operating in residence at the Harlem School of the Arts, CTH is an independent, not-for-profit company dedicated to presenting year round professional classical theatre in the Harlem community.

Mary Hope Garcia, producer of the Thirteen's African American World website demonstrated the features of the site. "PBS.org is one of the highest-trafficked websites in the world with over 300 million page views per month," she stated. African American World covers history, books, art and films, and has 350 in depth articles. The site which receives approximately 350,000 page views per month, also tests one's knowledge of African-American history.

Accepting the grant for the 20-year-old Urban Bush Women (UBW) was Amy Casallo, Managing Director, who remarked on their tenacity to keep the performance ensemble alive. Christal Brown and Rhea Patterson did a moving performance which honored in dance and word, the strength and achievements of African and African American cultural heroes and civil/human rights leaders. The dance, 'Give Your Hands to Struggle' is an excerpt from Hands Singing Song, a dance made in 1996 by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, UBW's Founding Director. Music was by Bernice Johnson Reagon

Marline Martin, Executive Director of the Children's Art Carnival, (CAC), stressed the importance of building community through the arts. She described the video project, Living Treasures, directed by the young production team as 'a way for youth to connect with the elders and give recognition to those who have contributed to the arts and humanity of their community.' "They're using the arts to reach back into their community's history to improve the quality of human life", she added.

The Edler G. Hawkins Foundation was started in 1978 by friends of Pastor Edler G. Hawkins, who enjoyed theatre and education. It seeks to educate African American families about the important role they play in providing and sustaining support for the arts in underserved communities.