Sweet Charity Gala

Kate Michael, wearing a dress of sweets from Albert Ulster

Heart of America Foundation co-founder Bill Halamandaris kicks off the fashion show. At left: Philipp Braun of Albert Uster Imports. At right: Angie Halamandaris

WJLA's Leon Harris

"Confessions of a Shopaholic"

From "Alice in Wonderland," a chocolate playing card

A chocolate gladiator

"101 Dalmatians"

Spike Mendelsohn and committee chair Barbara Hawthorn

Suzanne Albisu, Geoff Tracy of Chef Geoff's, and Victor Albisu, executive chef at BLT Steak

John "L.J." Heffernan of Masters of Whisky

A painting in pastry

Honoree Dr. Ben Carson addresses the crowd

Norman Messer, pastry chef at Chef Geoff's

Pastry fencing around a three-tiered cake

Chocolate lilies on a wedding cake

Chocolate film reels

The annual Sweet Charity gala was held Monday night at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. More than 50 chefs turned out to benefit the Heart of America Foundation, which delivers books to underserved children and promotes literacy.

In addition to a two-hour tasting reception, the Des Alpes Chocolate Fashion Show featured models dressed in layers of confectionary, all costumed like characters from books that became movies. The theme: "Literacy on the Silver Screen."

Honorees included Dr. Benjamin Carson, M.D., the director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Children's Center, chef Spike Mendelsohn, owner of Good Stuff Eatery on Capitol Hill and a contestant on Bravo's "Top Chef," and Wayne Ryan, principal of the Crosby S. Noyes Education Campus in Washington, D.C.

— Report and photographs by Christina Wilkie