On March 14, the enCourage Kids Foundation held its 39th Annual Gala and raised significant funds to support their hospital programs. Emceed by WABC Sports Anchor Ryan Field, the four hundred plus guests gathered to make the night rememberable.
Coming together at the exquisite Ziegfeld Ballroom, guests celebrated Nicole Perez (NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst Child Life Specialist) who waspresented with the Michele Hall Duncan Humanizing Healthcare Award and real estate honorees Harrison Sitomer (Chief Investment Officer SL Green) and Eric Sitman (Director on the North American Commercial Real Estate Taconic team).
President & CEO Jean Butler took to the stage to address the guests and after thanking them for their continued support, she announced the enCourage Kids partnership with iconic toy store, FAO Schwarz. She introduced David Niggli (Chief Merchandising Officer-FAO Schwarz at ThreeSixty Brands) who joined her on stage and unveiled the new Teddy Bear. Together, they have designed and created a new, high-quality plush Bear for their Send A Smile Send A Bear program. This program delivers stuffed animal Bears nationwide to help pediatric patients navigate the stress of treatment, illness, and hospitalization. In addition to offering comfort, the Bear is a powerful tool in fostering coping skills, preparing for medical procedures, and educating about diagnoses.
Following the introduction to the new Teddy Bear, a video played showcasing the work of the organization and Board Chair Tony Fineman took to the stage and the FUNraising began. Guests responded and were more than supportive including NFL Legend Erik Coleman who has been a friend of enCourage Kids for years.
It certainly was a night of greats that included the food, people, honorees and their speeches, venue, and of course, the mission of the organization Making Hospitals a Better Place for Children to Get Better!
Since 1985, the 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 more than one million children annually, enCourage Kids is focused on making hospitals a better place to get better. Their 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.
