38th Anniversary Good Neighbor Gala Raises Over $400,000
On Thursday, May 24th, Community Access proudly hosted its 38th Anniversary Good Neighbor Gala. The event was both a celebration of our organization’s continuing progress toward helping individuals overcome mental illness and homelessness, and a vivid reminder of how many good neighbors it takes to help make our programs possible.
Advocate Award:
Commissioner Michael F. Hogan, Ph.D.
A highlight of the evening included moving speeches by Melvin Bennett and James Exum, tenants in Community Access housing programs in the Bronx who shared the transformations in their lives since they moved out of the shelter system and into beautiful new apartments of their own. Melvin and James are just two of nearly 2,000 participants whom Community Access programs reach every year through our housing, job training, counseling, education, art workshops, pet therapy and recovery programs. We thank them for their heartfelt remarks and for being such inspiring ambassadors of Community Access. I also extend sincere thanks to the staff of Community Access who, each day, are the lifeblood of our cause.
Leadership Award:
Kiumarz Geula
Honored at this year’s Gala were Commissioner Michael F. Hogan, Ph.D., New York State Office of Mental Health, recipient of our Advocate Award; Kiumarz Geula, recipient of our Leadership Award; and architect Peter L. Woll, and Benjamin Warnke and Mark Reed, Principals at Alembic Community Development, joint recipients of our Partnership Award. Our Gala Chair was David Kuperberg, CA board member and CEO of Cooper Square Realty, and our Gala Co-Chair was Mega Contracting Group LLC. Kudos to you all, for helping to make this year’s Gala an auspicious occasion and a memorable evening.
Partnership Award:
(from left to right) Peter L. Woll, Mark Reed, Benjamin Warnke
This year’s event raised over $400,000, thanks to generous contributions from Community Access’ family of donors, our Board of Directors, and a new cadre of individuals and corporations supporting us for the first time. To each and every one of you: thank you. And to all our friends who were not at this year’s event, thank you too for being stakeholders in helping Community Access enrich the lives of New Yorkers who need our help the most.
Lastly, please enjoy some great Gala photos over on our Facebook page—and (I’ve been asked to add!) feel free to ‘tag’ yourself, as well.
