Charity Social New York

NYSPCC's Savor the City

Fri, 10 May 2013 14:58:00 -0400

Wednesday evening the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NYSPCC) held their annual Savor the City fundraiser to raise money for their Trauma Recovery Program at Asellina inside the Gansevoort Park Hotel. During the event some of the city’s most philanthropic young professionals who represent the NYCSPCC’s Junior Committee and honored guests participated in a silent auction with items ranging from tickets to see Jimmy Fallon, the Mets, and Sleep No More to a range of fitness classes and beauty products and exclusive dining opportunities around the city. Top tier auction items included a private home cooked dinner for 10 guests by Rao’s, tickets to attend the US Open, and something on our personal bucket list, the opportunity to be a fighter pilot for a day. The 185 guests of the event enjoyed cocktails and some of Asellina’s delicious Italian passed hor d’oeuvres and desserts while making moves to help end and educate the public on child abuse. Over $47,000 was raised to support the NYSPCC’s Trauma Recovery Program. Guests included members of the Steering Committee including Alexandra Papanicolaou, Christopher Breck, Jeffery C. Caldwell, Chani Churchill, Darlene Liebman, Lauren Matina, Maureen Nash, Elizabeth Rockman, Matt Semino, Samantha Strockis, and Whitney Topping.

If you were unable to attend the Savor the City benefit and would like to learn more about NYSPCC’s mission to protect children from the hands of abusers or show your support click here.

The New York Transit Museum Takes Over Midtown in May

Thu, 09 May 2013 11:03:00 -0400

May is a big month for the New York Transit Museum, who are planning a number of events for both members and non-members. The first event in this series is MIDTOWN EATS with Michael Morgenthal which is limited to museum members and will give people the opportunity to follow well-versed Midtown guide Michael Morgenthal on a tour of Midtown Manhattan’s best historical and under-the-radar eating spots. Members have the opportunity to buy up to two tickets for this event which takes place May 10th between 1 pm and 3 pm. Also on May 10th is a members-only preview of the Grand Centennial Parade of Trains. This exclusive preview of vintage trains, which will take place between 2:30 pm and 3:30 pm, is a special thank you from the museum for membership support. Spaces are limited so reserve you ticket promptly.

Building Midtown: The Beginning, which will take place on both May 11th and 19th, is an event open to both members and non-members. This event will give people the opportunity to hear architectural historian Matthew Postal examine Grand Central Station’s unique architecture and impact on the city at large in the first few decades of its construction. Those who may not be able to participate in this event are reminded that it is still possible to make a separate donation through the museum’s website. On May 17th the New York Transit Museum will present another event available to non-members called Midtown Eats! With Blondie and Brownie. Midtown Lunch bloggers and authors of the new book New York a la Cart: Recipes and Stories from the Big Apple’s Best Food Trucks, Blondie and Brownie will lead a food truck tour that will provide participants with an adventure in eating.

The last in this month of events presented by the New York Transit Museum for non-members will feature a walking tour by John Simko examining the unique and historical architecture of many landmarks in and around Midtown originally built by architect Rafael Guastavino. This event, which is called The Guastavino Legacy and takes place between 11 am and 1:30 pm on both May 18th and June 1st, will cover everything from the 59th Street Bridge to Grand Central Station as a way to examine Guastavino and his innovative “”Tile Arch System.” In addition, museum members will also be given the opporunity to follow guide extraordinaire Dan Brucker through a tour of Grand Central Terminal's magnificent architecture and best kept secrets in an event called Inside Grand Central Terminal: A Centennial Tour. All of these events will begin at the Transit Museum Gallery Annex & Store at Grand Central Terminal.

The First Annual Young Professionals Party

Tue, 07 May 2013 16:56:58 -0400

On Tuesday, May 14th, join premiere DJ Cassidy at LAVO Italian Restaurant and Nightclub for a night of passed hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and a silent auction of highly covetable items and experiences to benefit the Silver Hill Hospital Scholarship Fund. Located in New Canaan, CT, Silver Hill Hospital, a not-for-profit hospital, has long been a world-renowned institution for the treatment of mental illness and addiction. Founded in 1931, by psychiatrist, Dr. John Millet, the Silver Hill Hospital offers its patients a wide variety of comprehensive inpatient, residential, and intensive outpatient services for adults and adolescents spanning the full spectrum of psychiatric and addition illnesses.

With one of every four people being affected by mental illness or addiction, Silver Hill Hospital helps those affected and who seek treatment return to a healthy and happy lifestyle. The hospital’s treatment regiments are focused on helping patients get better through inspiring hope and helping in their transition home to their family and communities. The main goal of the Young Professionals Party is to raise charitable donations for Silver Hill’s Scholarship Fund. The Scholarship Fund is an essential resource for those who seek intensive inpatient residential treatment. Patients who are motivated to change and take full advantage of what Silver Hill has to offer may qualify for financial assistance. The high cost of treatment centers elevates the stress associated with having to stay in an inpatient facility for an extended period of time and often deters people who suffer with addition and their mental health from seeing the help they desperately need. With this in mind, the Silver Hill Scholarship Fund greatly increases the number of deserving patients that gain access to the treatments that they need.

You can help the young philanthropists and professionals who’ve set out to raise money and help Silver Hill Hospital adhere to their mission of “provid[ing] the best treatment for mental illness and addiction; and to offer continuing support, counseling and education to patients and families in every phase of illness and recovery” by attending on May 14th at LAVO from 8pm until 11pm.

Proceeds from ticket sales ($135) for the first annual Young Professionals Party will go toward the Silver Hill Hospital Scholarship Fund. If you’re unable to attend the event, but are interested in making a charitable donation, click here.

Celebrate More Birthday's at Taste of Hope

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 16:49:00 -0400

Everyone knows someone whose life has been touched by cancer—whether your story is a story of remembrance, a story of a loved one's struggle with the disease, or your own survival you’re never alone in the fight thanks to the American Cancer Society. This year marks the American Cancer Society’s 100th birthday and like their heartwarming television commercial suggests, they really do help make more birthdays. In celebration of all of their accomplishments in research, fundraising, and above all the support they offer to cancer patients and their families, you can help continue to celebrate more birthdays by purchasing a $50 candle in honor or memory of a loved one. These candles will top the American Cancer Society’s birthday cake at their Eighth Annual Taste of Hope benefit.

Celebrate the American Cancer Society, more birthdays, and delicious eats at Taste of Hope on Thursday, May 2nd at 82Mercer. This year’s Taste of Hope event honors Chef Marc Murphy, the owner and Chef behind New York restaurants, the Landmarc, Ditch Plains, and Benchmarc. Taste of Hope, the American Cancer Society’s signature culinary, wine and spirits event, and just one of the hundreds of programming that the Society organizes throughout the year, is a great way to taste best city eats while fighting for a cure. Taste of Hope will feature some of New York’s top chefs, restaurants, beverage vendors and music by DJ Scott Sheeny. Guests will have the opportunity to walk around the venue tasting samples of signature dishes and desserts, premier wines and spirits, and inventive cocktails. Participants in this year’s Taste of Hope include Beauty & Essex, Delicatessen, Ginny’s Supper Club, JoeDoe & JoeDough, Pinkberry, Sprinkles Cupcakes, and so much more. As always, proceeds from the Taste of Hope event go toward the American Cancer Society’s goal of eliminating cancer as a major health problem.

“Together, we save lives and create a world with more birthdays by helping you stay well, helping you get well, finding cures and fighting back.”

To purchase a birthday candle for the Taste of Hope's 100th Birthday Cake, please click here. Tickets to the event are $175 or $300 for a pair and can be purchased on the same site. A few VIP Table packages, for 5 or 10 people, are still available in limited quantity.

Searching for a Cure for Canavan Disease at Chelsea Piers

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:33:00 -0400

Jacob’s Cure, a non-profit organization devoted to researching a yet uncurable disease called Canavan, will be holding its Dream Big Gala on Thursday, May 16th at Chelsea Piers, Pier 60 between 23rd Street and West Side Highway in honor of Brian and Scott Sklar. The event takes place between 6pm and 11:30pm and includes cocktails, dinner, and an after-party. Donors have the option of purchasing tickets, sponsorships, or journal ads through the Jacob's Cure website. In addition, a raffle (limited to 500 tickets) will be held for the opportunity to win a two year lease for a new BMW 128i convertible from Orange County BMW (winning participants need not be present).

Canavan disease, a rare genetic neurological disorder that develops early in life, can cause its carriers to have seizures, paralysis, lose the ability to see, and cause many to die within the first decade of their lives. This organization, which was founded by Johana Holovach, began as a way to try and save her son who was diagnosed with the disease. Although there is currently no cure for Canavan disease, the Jacob's Cure organization has helped slow the symptoms of Canavan in many children. According to their website, they have put money raised towards researching “gene-therapy, stem cell transplantation, pharmacological approaches, and basic science in understanding the disease.”

Funding for Canavan disease research is small due to the disease's federal categorization as an "orphan disease." Only 7 million dollars has been raised toward therapeutic research for those suffering with Canavan disease since 1994 soley through parental donations. Yet since the founding of Jacob's Cure in 2000, this non-profit organization has not only helped raise money for reasearch but they have also provided support for families that have children afflicted with the disease. Through current stem cell research trials, donators may help bring children afflicted with Canavan closer to a cure.

Tickets, donation options, and information about the event can be found here.

To discover more about Jacob's Cure, watch the video below:

PCF Hold 19th Annual Cancer Walk at Riverside Park

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:05:35 -0400

On Sunday, April 28th the Pediatric Cancer Foundation will be holding their 19th Annual Cancer Walk-a-thon at Manhattan's Riverside Park. Online registration for the event is simple and easy by visiting the foundation's website, though walk-in registration is possible for an additional 5 dollar charge. Raffle tickets can also be bought for a chance to win either Four Court Level NY Knicks, Two Club NY Rangers, Four Field Level NY Mets tickets with parking pass, and an exclusive one hour tour of the Sesame Street Studio in Astoria, Queens.

This is a rain or shine event that begins at 10am where registered participants recieve their free Pediatric Cancer Foundation T-shirts. At 11am, event host, and Eyewitness News Channel 7 Meteorologist, Lee Goldberg, will welcome participants and announce the raffle winners. The walk will begin at 11:30am starting and ending in the West 79th Street Boat Basin Rotunda. From 12:30pm until 1:30pm DTR Entertainment will provide post-walk entertainment and an after-party featuring food, drinks, face painting, and giveaways. Additional donations can be made here through their website.

Although remarkable progress has been made in cancer research, 12,500 infants and children are diagnosed each year. Cancer kills more children than diabetes, cystic fibrosis, asthma, congenital anomalies, and AIDS combined. The Pediatric Cancer Foundation encourages walkers to raise a minimum of 100 dollars in order to help them in their cause.

Savor the City to End Child Abuse

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:45:00 -0400

Founded in 1875, the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NYSPCC) is the world’s first child protective agency in the world. Through the development of new and innovative programs geared to meeting the needs of New York City’s most vulnerable children, the agency has been able to prevent abuse and help countless children heal after exposure to abuse. Throughout the five boroughs there are over 250 cases of child abuse reported each day. Sadly, this is only a small fraction of abuse that happens behind closed doors and is never reported. Used as a model for child welfare agencies across the nation, the NYSPCC has investigated more than 650,000 cases on the behalf of over two million children. The Agency has also educated over 49,000 professionals on how to properly identify and report child abuse and neglect.

In response, to the startling numbers of child abuse reports, a set of young philanthropists, the NYSPCC Junior Committee, have stepped up to support the cause and have assumed social responsibility by raising essential funds for the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Since its inception in 2005, the Junior Committee has helped numerous children heal from abuse and neglect and help families victimized by abuse to grow stronger.

Just one of the NYSPCC’s many fundraising events, the Junior Committee will be hosting a benefit cocktail gala on Wednesday, May 8th to help raise funds for NYSPCC’s cause. Their Savor the City event will be held at Asellina at the Gansevoort Park Hotel from 8pm until 11pm. Donations received by ticket price and a silent auction of highly covetable items and experiences will go toward the NYSPCC’s Trauma Recovery Program. The evening will also feature cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres.

To purchase tickets to the Annual Junior Committee Spring Benefit: Savor the City ($150) head to the event’s page, here. Tickets will be available at the door, depending on capacity, for $175.

If you’d like to learn more about NYSPCC and their mission and how you can help the children of New York, check out their website.

3 Generations Celebrates Five Years of Exposing Injustice

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 12:02:00 -0400

Non-profit organization 3 Generations is celebrating their fifth anniversary on Wednesday, April 24th with a night full of entertainment in Midtown Manhattan. The organization who is dedicated to exposing humanity’s injustices through film making, are beginning the evening by hosting a dinner with drinks include at Tavola restaurant (488 Ninth Avenue). The dinner will be followed by a play titled Fragments at the Baryshnikov Arts Center (450 West 37th Street). This play, presented by the Theatre for a New Audience and directed by Peter Brooks, is based on five short classic texts written by Samuel Beckett such as Rockaby and Come and Go.

Donors are given the option of either attending the play, dining at Tavola, or both by making a respective donation on the event’s website. Seats are scarce but 3 Generations informs prospective donors that it is still possible to donate through their website if they are unable to attend.

For the past five years, 3 Generations have told “the stories of people who have been devalued and abused by forces beyond their control” and have helped by formulating “the most impactful interventions through single-issue campaigns designed to raise public awareness and inspire focused action.” Four successful campaigns that they have initiated in the past five years include Genocide, Sex Trafficking, Conflict/Valuing Our Veterans, and Imagine the End of Atrocity. In addition to a multitude of short films, 3 Generations has also executed two full length documentaries. These films include a 2007 film about the atrocities at Darfur called The Devil Came on Horseback and a film about American sex trafficking called 10,000 Men which is due for release this year.

To learn more about 3 Generations watch the video found below.

Dressing up for Prom

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:07:00 -0400

Prom is one of the most memorable nights, whether good or bad, for high school students. Since the hard economic times, there are many girls that are unable to afford a dress for the night, but WGIRLS has been able to help those in need. Project G.L.A.M., which stands for Granting Lasting Amazing Memories, provides prom dresses and accompanying accessories for these underprivileged girls.

Through the help of numerous generous individuals, WGIRLS collects donations of gently worn or brand new dresses that are then distributed to students in need. Project G.L.A.M. has aided people across the country and hosts events for handing out dress.

They recently held one of these events and donated a record number of more than 1,500 dresses. Emerging teen pop sensation Brittany Smooch teamed up with the organization this year along with WGIRLS President Amy Heller and New York based designer Shelli Segal to accomplish their goal.

People can donate their gently used or new dresses by bringing or mailing them to one of WGIRLS drop-off locations, found here. Sometimes it is hard to get rid of a favorite dress, but individuals can also make pledges through WGIRLS’ website.

“With the economy today, many of our students are not thinking about attending prom because of the cost. After receiving a dress this past Saturday, attending prom went from being a dream into a reality,” stated Kathy Kong, the Community Coordinator at The High School of Sports Management at Lafayette Educational Complex in New York.

WGIRLS was established in 2010 and since then has helped thousands of girls and have fulfilled their mission of giving support and resources to underprivileged women and girls in need throughout the world.

Every student should have the opportunity to attend prom and people have a chance to put a smile on a young women’s face and creating lasting memories as they make their high school rite of passage.

Do Not Resuscitate

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 17:00:40 -0400

April is Organ Donor Awareness Month and in celebration, the Slipper Room hosted one rockin' event last week. Do Not Resuscitate or DNR for short is an edgy high-end t-shirt and accessory fashion brand based in New York City. Their goal is to increase the number of organ donors around the world through their unique message and fashionable attire. The event that took place last week was attended by DNR founder Pamela Lubell, along with family and friends including Heather Thomson and Stefan Segadlo. The fun-filled night hosted a slew of amazing performances including a cabaret act by Paul LaBrecque and was hosted by Mel Frye. Attendees also had the opportunity to bid during the live raffle. In honor of Organ Donor Awareness Month, it is important that everyone become aware of how many lives you can save by becoming an organ donor. Check out DNR's site to learn about becoming a donor and shop their fun clothes and accesssories!