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Highlights from the 2011 Literacy Champions Gala

Over 200 guests attended the Parent-Child Home Program’s second annual Literacy Champions Gala on November 15, 2011 at the New York Athletic Club in midtown Manhattan. Honoring renowned author, director, and producer Lawrence Schiller, the evening’s festivities included a cocktail reception, dinner, silent/live auction, and live jazz performance. Overall, the Gala raised more than $230,000 to support PCHP’s work – an increase in revenue from last year’s inaugural event.

A highlight of the evening was the announcement of a $1 million gift to fund national expansion from the Estate of Marian Naumburg. Joshua Ginsberg, Co-Executor of the Estate, joined PCHP CEO Sarah Walzer on stage to share the exciting news, informing guests that $700,000 of the overall gift would be awarded as a 2:1 matching grant. For every dollar donated by other sources, the Estate would give two, effectively tripling the impact of contributions raised.

The night also included the premiere of PCHP’s new four-minutevideo featuring the Program’s work and, of course, the honoring of Lawrence Schiller. Schiller shared a few words with the crowd, expressing the importance of literacy to his own life and celebrating the Program’s work towards increasing opportunities for underprivileged populations.