On Tuesday, May 13, 2014, the New York Police & Fire Widows’ & Children’s Benefit Fund hosted its Second Annual Kick Off to Summer Benefit, honoring fallen first responders and raising funds and awareness for the families they left behind.
The event, which welcomed over 400 guests and raised $125,000, was held at the Empire Hotel Rooftop in Manhattan. Honorary Chairs for the event were Scarlett Johansson, Colin Jost, Deborah Mazar, Mark Messier, Vincent Piazza and Kenan Thompson. Event Chairs were Kyle Cruz, Jewelry Designer Melissa Joy Manning and Matthew Swift, Co-Founder and Chairman of Concordia, with leadership by the Benefit Fund’s Host Committee of young professionals.
Special guests in attendance at the event included Colin Jost, Deborah Mazar, Mark Messier, Vincent Piazza, Rusty Staub, FDNY Commissioner Salvatore Cassano and Mallory Hagan, Miss America 2013. A special ticket rate for the event was offered to courageous active duty members of the FDNY, NYPD, PAPD and EMS Personnel who protect and serve New York City every day.
The evening featured outdoor cocktails and music under the stars, with hors d’oeuvres, raffles, a silent auction, and gift bags of fabulous items from Melissa Joy Manning, exhale Mind Body Spa, boscia, Essie, Uber, IOMA Paris and others. The Premier Sponsor was Capital One, Gold Sponsors were Cushman & Wakefield and Shinola Detroit, and the Event Sponsors were Stella Artois, Cavicchioli 1928 and Frederick Wildman and Sons, Ltd. There were twenty five silent auction and raffle packages for guests. Auction items included two VIP tickets to the Chew, two tickets to SNL with a backstage tour, tickets to the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic, Barclay’s Suite for Men’s Basketball Classic in November, four tickets to a NY Mets game, two tickets to a BCBG Fall Fashion Show, two VIP three-day passes to Governors Ball Music Festival, Keith Urban Concert tickets, a ten pack of classes at Exhale Spa, gift cards to H&M, Uber, Bagatelle and more. Music was by DJ Raffael De Luca.
The New York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund provides assistance to the families of New York City Police Officers, Fire Fighters, Port Authority Police and EMS Personnel who have been killed in the line of duty. Since its inception in 1985 by Daniel J. “Rusty” Staub, the charity has distributed over $128 million to hundreds of families. The Benefit Fund provides immediate and ongoing financial assistance in the form of annual distributions to grieving families after they lose their loved one. In addition, the Benefit Fund provides an ongoing network of support and gatherings for these families to cope and connect after such tragedy. The Benefit Fund currently serves over 600 families, and the goal is to raise enough funds to provide meaningful annual distributions to beneficiaries for the remainder of their lives.
Please visit www.answerthecall.org for more information on the New York Police & Fire Widows’ & Children’s Benefit Fund.
Via Andrea & Associates
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