New York, NY – ľֱ’s Aid hosted its 15th annual Benefit on October 16 at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in Manhattan, where nearly 400 attendees celebrated the organization’s long legacy of service to New York City’s youth and families.
The event honored The Cleveland H. Dodge Foundation for their century of support for the organization’s mission. This year’s Benefit raised more than 2.2 million – the highest in the event’s history. The funds will support ľֱ’s Aid programs, which impact nearly 50,000 children and families in under-resourced neighborhoods across New York City.
“The Dodge Foundation was established in 1917, and their support of ľֱ’s Aid began not long after,” said Phoebe C. Boyer, ľֱ’s Aid President and CEO. “Over the decades, they’ve stood with us through every era — investing in pregnancy prevention, community schools, housing programs, professional development, early childhood education, and, in 2020, emergency COVID relief. For more than a century, the Dodge Foundation has been there for New York City’s children and families. And we could not be more grateful.
This year’s Benefit theme, “Always, in all ways,” captured how ľֱ’s Aid helps young people navigate life’s unexpected turns, overcome roadblocks, and find their way forward.
“We all have an obligation to ensure that every child in New York gets a chance at success in the path they choose toward a happy and productive life,” said William Dodge Rueckert. “We are doomed as a society if we don’t. And the greatest gifts a society can give to its young people are a good education, good health, and above all, love. In other words, the heart of the mission of ľֱ’s Aid.”
The 2025 Benefit was sponsored at the Ambassador level by The Cleveland H. Dodge Foundation; and Coleman Family Ventures; at the Champion level by Leslie and Ashish Bhutani; and Mark Gallogly and Lise Strickler; and at the Hero level by; Beth and Ira Leventhal; Melkus Family Foundation; Jill and Brian Olson; Eren Rosenfeld and Jack Dunne; Lauren Razook Roth and John Roth; Suzanne Waltman and Martin Friedman; and at the Mentor level by; Sheilah Baird and Yasmeen Mock; Bayer Pharmaceuticals; Susan S. and Frank J. Brown; Lisa and Mark Edmiston; Becky and Mike Goss; Alexandra and Russell Horwitz; Greg Kerr and David Vaucher; Visa; Jennifer and Peter Wallace; and The Walt Disney Company.
The Benefit was chaired by Beth and Ira Leventhal; Eren Rosenfeld and Jack Dunne; and Suzanne Waltman and Martin Friedman.
To view photos of the event, click here. For more information, visit childrensaidnyc.org/benefit.
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ľֱ ľֱ’s Aid
ľֱ’s Aid is committed to ensuring that there are no boundaries to the aspirations of young people, no limits to their potential. After nearly 200 years of serving New York City’s children, youth, and their families, we know what it takes to ensure children and youth grow up strong and healthy and ready to thrive in school and life: excellent education and health care, social-emotional support, and strong stable families. Today, we serve nearly 50,000 children, youth, and their families in New York City.