Costa Rican-born supermodel Mauricio Amuy has been selected to receive the first Celebrity with a Big Heart" Award on September 10, 2003 during the USA International Fashion Shows

The Award. Fashion show producer Andres Aquino, CEO and founder of the USA International Fashion Shows, created the Celebrity with a Big Heart" award to recognize accomplished persons in the fields of fashion, music, film or art who also support a charity cause associated with the well-being of children in need of assistance, such as children who are underprivileged or abused, abandoned, orphans, casualties of war, victims of natural disasters, AIDS and other health problems.

NEW YORK, NY (PRWEB) August 23, 2003 -- The Award. Fashion show producer Andres Aquino, CEO and founder of the USA International Fashion Shows, created the Celebrity with a Big Heart" award to recognize accomplished persons in the fields of fashion, music, film or art who also support a charity cause associated with the well-being of children in need of assistance, such as children who are underprivileged or abused, abandoned, orphans, casualties of war, victims of natural disasters, AIDS and other health problems.

Celebrity with a Big Heart" proposes to raise funds for projects and infrastructures in specific towns and villages around the world. The award will generate awareness and interest in worthy child-related causes in part through the fashion and entertainment industry fundraising efforts for noteworthy projects.

The private initiative depends solely on individual and corporate sponsorship, is not limited by race, sex, or religious affiliation and is not under any government or political umbrella. Funds raised go directly to support the programs that benefit children, i.e., if a water pump is needed in a remote villages makeshift hospital, funds are raised to bring a pump to that hospital.

Mauricio Amuy. From an early age, Mauricio Amuy learned from his parents the joy of helping unfortunate children. He supports Proyecto San Francisco de Asis, an organization that helps abandoned children in Costa Rica secure a place to live and keeps them off the streets and away from drugs and prostitution. In March 2004, Mauricio will be in Costa Rica to assist in fundraising for this project helping it to expand into other Latin American countries.

Mauricio also supports Children of Refugees, a program helping to provide food to children in Latin America. Mauricio sees the need to help children in Peru affected by contaminated water as well as children with AIDS and cancer in other countries who need immediate assistance. He is always willing to take time from his busy schedule to help the childrens causes as much as possible.

Mauricios numerous modeling and acting credits include many runway fashion shows ranging from Levis Jeans to Yves St. Laurent and the Helen Yarmak couture collection in New York City. He has worked in Japan, Europe, Latin America and the USA. He has appeared on a billboard in New Yorks Times Square as well as in national ad campaigns for Macys and Wal-Mart.

He has been featured in such magazines as Teleguia" (Costa Rica), Metropolis" (Japan) and Vogue" (Germany). His acting credits include film, video and television roles in Spider-Man II" (to be released in 2004), Juwanna Mann", Sex in The City", Guiding Light" and many others. He is also depicted as the Michael The Arc Angel" as painted by young surrealist artist Angelo Rusciano a private masterpiece for artist Mary J. Blige.

He was discovered by Fabio Camera from Brazil, introduced to New York by famous colorist and stylist Colin Lively, and is represented by Wilhelmina NYC, Mc Donald Richards, and Directions USA of Greensboro, NC.

The USA International Fashion Shows is the USA Fashion Week of high fashion. The series of runway fashion shows features both national and international designers of couture and finely tailored garments showcasing in the USA, many for the first time. The collections will be presented September 8 -- 10, 2003 in beautiful settings in New York City along with lavish accessories, dramatic makeup and trend-setting hairstyles before an audience of VIPs, the international press and upscale fashion and boutique buyers.

The shows are by invitation only and attendance is limited. For event information, visit usafashionshows.com

For information on sponsorship, participating and/or attending the runway shows, fax on your letterhead to 212.202.4604 or 203.831.8720 or e-mail to: info@usafashionshows.com

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