WASHINGTON–Boca Raton humanitarian Nanci Alexander will be honored with the first Art of Compassion Award by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), a Washington-based nonprofit organization. The award will be presented on April 16 at PCRM’s 20th Anniversary Celebration, hosted by actor Alec Baldwin and attended by a host of other celebrities, including Alicia Silverstone, Darryl Hannah, and singer Emmylou Harris.

Alexander is the president of the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida, which advocates on behalf of animals used for food, fashion, entertainment, and experimentation. ARFF took a leading role in the successful battle to ban the use of gestation crates for pigs in Florida, the first time a specific factory farming practice was banned in the U.S. In 2003, Ms. Alexander opened Sublime, a gourmet vegan restaurant in Ft. Lauderdale, receiving rave reviews, including a four-star rating from the Sun-Sentinel. With its boutique featuring cruelty-free products and books, the restaurant has become a mecca for health-conscious diners.

“Nanci Alexander is a role model of compassion for animals and for people,” said PCRM president and founder Neal Barnard, M.D. “Her vision and dedication have brought an unprecedented level of effectiveness to efforts to end animal abuse.”

Alexander has received numerous awards, including Humanitarian of the Year in 2001 from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a nonprofit health organization that promotes preventive medicine, conducts clinical research,and encourages higher standards for ethics and effectiveness in research.