Annual Fall Gala
On September 22, New Yorkers For Children hosted our Tenth Annual Fall Gala at Cipriani 42 to benefit youth in foster care in New York City. We were thrilled to have Anderson Cooper, CNN Anchor, as the evening’s host, and we were very excited to honor Mary J. Blige, Philanthropist and Founder of FFAWN, with the Nicholas Scoppetta Child Welfare Award. This year’s Fall Gala Co-Chairs were Nina and Mitch Davidson, Oscar de la Renta, Susan and Tony Gilroy, Nancy and Andrew Jarecki, Kevin Liles, Shirin von Wulffen and Frederic Fekkai, and Stephanie and David Wolkoff. More than 700 guests helped to MAKE IT HAPPEN for the nearly 17,000 children in foster care in New York City, raising over $1.5 million to benefit New Yorkers For Children’s educational programs.
Annual Friends Committee Spring Dinner Dance — A Fool’s Fête
On April 8, the Friends of New Yorkers For Children will host their Seventh Annual Spring Dinner Dance—New Year’s in April: A Fool’s Fête. Friends and supporters will gather at the Mandarin Oriental for an evening of dinner, dancing, and a silent auction to support youth in foster care in New York City.
Wrap to Rap Holiday Gift Wrapping Event
On November 17, 2009, nearly 100 teens in foster care joined New Yorkers For Children’s Board of Directors and Friends Committee at NYFC’s seventh annual holiday gift-wrapping event, Wrap to Rap. The event, sponsored by Delta Air Lines, took place at the Club Terrace at Madison Square Garden. Volunteers wrapped more than 1,500 toys and gifts, which will be distributed by Children’s Services to young children in foster care this holiday season. Joba Chamberlain of the 2009 World Series champion New York Yankees hosted the fun-filled afternoon, which featured DJ D-Nice spinning hip-hop and holiday classics, a raffle of Yankees memorabilia, and a special performance by cast members of Broadway’s Rock of Ages.
NAC Holiday Event
On December 19, 2009, members of the Youth Advisory Board volunteered to run New Yorkers For Children’s face-painting booth at the New Alternatives For Children (NAC) annual holiday event, held at the Javits Center. NAC is a foster care agency that serves children with medical disabilities and chronic illnesses and their families. The annual holiday event is one of the most anticipated events on the NAC calendar, and Youth Advisory Board members spent the day decorating children’s faces with designs from snowmen to Spiderman to brighten their holiday. The children were also treated to an appearance by Santa Claus, holiday songs, a special lunch, and other activities.
CHIPP Holiday Party
On December 15, 2009, the Children of Incarcerated Parents Program (CHIPP) hosted its sixth annual holiday party at the Rose M. Singer Center on Rikers Island. The event, a joint effort between New Yorkers For Children, the Administration for Children’s Services, and the Department of Corrections, brings children in foster care together with their mothers who are incarcerated to celebrate the holidays. The event serves to maintain bonds between children and their mothers and create lasting family memories.
Tour of Good Morning America
On the morning of November 20, 2009, the 2009 New Yorkers For Children Spirit Award winner and several members of the Youth Advisory Board woke up bright and early to tour the studios of Good Morning America. The youth spent an exciting morning learning about news production, from the news desk to the sound room. They were personally invited by anchor Diane Sawyer, who has shown a deep commitment to youth in foster care through her ABC report, “A Call to Action: Saving Our Children.” Diane and fellow anchors Robin Roberts and Chris Cuomo were on hand to answer the group’s questions and show them around the set. NYFC thanks Good Morning America for providing these young people with such an incredible experience!
Tour of Good Morning America 2009
Network to Success
Twice annually, New Yorkers For Children hosts Network to Success events. These networking events provides more than 150 young people in foster care, who are high school and college students, with the opportunity to network with a “dream team” of professionals in various industries and learn about exciting career opportunities. Panelists are able to provide invaluable insight and inspiration to the young adults in foster care, who greatly benefit from career exposure and guidance.
2009 Sports Network to Success Panel
Awareness Events
Several times throughout the year, New Yorkers For Children hosts awareness events to reinforce the relationship between NYFC supporters and our corporate sponsors. Recent corporate partners have included Ankasa, Rachel Roy, Dior, Vogue, Roger Vivier, and Nordstrom.
NYFC Partners with Broadway
At the request of Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig, the Broadway smash hit A Steady Rain added one additional performance to benefit New Yorkers For Children and the NYCPBA Widows’ & Children’s Fund. The specially added final performance took place on December 6 at the Schoenfeld Theatre and raised over $115,000 to benefit the youth we serve. This critically acclaimed, record-breaking play was one of the most highly anticipated theatrical events of the season, and had been sold out since the beginning of its limited run. After the performance, Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig took the stage to talk about the charities and host a special auction.
The ad for the final performance of A Steady Rain, which appeared in The New York Times on December 2, 2009.
