The enCourage Kids Foundation celebrated its 37th Anniversary at Cipriani South Street in NYC. enCourage Kids honored Jay Anderson and renamed his favorite program The Jay Anderson Pediatric Hospital Support Fund in his memory. Guests celebrated his legacy and paid tribute to his philanthropy and generosity of spirit that will have an enduring impact on thousands of children and families.
Ryan Field, WABC 7 Sports Anchor emceed the evening and was joined by over 300 supporters that included notable guests Malik Yoba, Tony Richardson, Christian Peter, and Dr. Perricone. Live Wire Entertainment provided the hits that had guests on their feet. The evening raised 1.1M which will support the Pediatric Hospital Support Program (PHSP).
“It was such a privilege to honor the legacy of Jay Anderson this year and rename his favorite program The Jay Anderson Pediatric Hospital Support Fund in his memory,” said Michele Hall Duncan – President & CEO enCourage Kids Foundation. “I’m so grateful to all our supporters for making our 37th Annual Gala such a success.”
“We were all so moved by the evening and especially the video tribute to our father,” stated Stephen Anderson. “We are beyond grateful to my father’s colleagues and friends who came out to support this very special night and meaningful work of enCourage Kids Foundation.”
Jay Anderson was a dear friend of enCourage Kids Foundation, having served on the organization’s Board of Directors for more than 20 years and most recently on its Chairman’s Circle. He was a true advocate for children and families, and one of their most generous supporters and devoted champions, particularly of enCourage Kids’ Pediatric Hospital Support Program. As the Chief Operating Officer of The Feil Organization, Jay was well-liked and highly respected among the real estate community and rallied his connections to further causes near to his heart.
The enCourage Kids Presenting Sponsor was The Lee & Jeffrey Feil Family Foundation, and Venue Sponsors include Haim Chera & Family (Cocktail Hour), Capital One (Décor), Extell (Entertainment) and CBRE (Photography).
To make a donation, please visit www.encourage-kids.org
ABOUT ENCOURAGE KIDS
Since 1985, enCourage Kids Foundation has helped humanize healthcare for children and their families by resourcing impact-driven pediatric programs and supporting the Child Life Community. Serving nearly one million children annually, enCourage Kids is focused on making hospitals a better place to get better. Our programs offer relief from the constant burden of treatments, hospital stays, and doctor appointments, while also supporting pediatric facilities to meet the unique needs of their patients. enCourage Kids Foundation envisions a world where every child regardless of the difficulty of his or her medical journey—experiences joy, hope, resilience, and healing. www.encourage-kids.org.
ABOUT MICHELE HALL DUNCAN
As President & CEO, Michele’s expertise in the nonprofit and development space, leads the organization in developing varied Programs and overseeing the growth of the Pediatric Hospital Support Program. The relationships she has fostered over the years with Child Life staff and all levels of hospital administration, have helped her to develop an integral understanding of their needs and has helped position the organization to be on the forefront of state-of-the-art programming.
Michele is a Trustee of the Children’s Specialized Hospital Foundation where she serves as board Secretary and chair of the governance committee. She also serves on the Advisory Board of one of the nation’s leading anti-bullying organizations, STOMP Out BullyingTM, and is a board member of the New York City chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals where she also serves on the Professional Advancement Committee. A native of Flint, Michigan, Michele is a proud graduate of Michigan State University (go Spartans!!) with a B.A. in Advertising and has been an active associate member of the Essex Hudson Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. for 10 years. Recently,
Michele has been featured in publications such as Authority, Medium, Thrive Global, Social Lifestyle, Industry Rules, Times Square Chronicles, Resident, and networks such as CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX Good Day and Spectrum1, to name a few.
