Union Settlement Celebrates 122 Years of Service to East Harlem at Annual Spring Benefit
Empower East Harlem Benefit to Honor Tonio Burgos; Julián Castro; Ramanathan Raju, M.D.; Corporate Partner Deutsche Bank; and Law Firm Partner Proskauer.
Emmy Award-winning actor John Turturro will return to emcee the event on April 26, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 26, 2017
MEDIA CONTACT
Susan Puder: 212-828-6024
New York City, NY – April 26, 2017 – Union Settlement, East Harlem’s oldest and largest social services provider, will celebrate 122 years of service in East Harlem at its annual spring benefit fundraising dinner tonight at Guastavino’s in Manhattan. The Empower East Harlem Benefit will convene hundreds of New York City’s business, civic and community leaders, as well as elected officials and honored guests, to support Union Settlement’s mission and service to the East Harlem community.
During the benefit, Union Settlement will honor Tonio Burgos, CEO of Tonio Burgos & Associates; Julián Castro, former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; and Ramanathan Raju, M.D., Senior Vice President and Community Health Investment Officer of Northwell Health. Union Settlement will also recognize corporate partner Deutsche Bank and law firm partner Proskauer for their ongoing support. Emmy Award-winning actor John Turturro will return as master of ceremonies for the event.
This year’s event will shine a spotlight on East Harlem’s vibrant cultural diversity and feature music from local East Harlem band Annette A. Aguilar and the Stringbeans Trio.
“For 122 years, Union Settlement has had the privilege of serving the wonderful East Harlem community by providing a range of services for New Yorkers of all ages,” said David Nocenti, Executive Director of Union Settlement. “We’re proud to celebrate East Harlem this evening with so many leaders and supporters, including our three individual honorees and two business partners who all exemplify dedication to public service and serving communities in need.”
The Empower East Harlem Benefit will be held on Wednesday, April 26, 2017 at 6:30 pm at Guastavino’s (409 East 59th Street between First and York Avenues).
Honoring Leaders in Public Service
Union Settlement will honor three inspiring and talented leaders whose vital contributions to the public and private sectors bring strength and vitality to our communities.
Tonio Burgos, CEO of Tonio Burgos & Associates, has successfully worked in the public and private sectors for more than 50 years. Mr. Burgos served in various positions with Governor Mario Cuomo for 15 years. He served as a Commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Director of the Trans-Hudson Corporation (PATH). He also worked under Governor James McGreevey of New Jersey as Vice Chairman of the Economic Development Authority and as a Commissioner of the School Construction Authority. Additionally, Mr. Burgos has received numerous honors from civic, educational and charitable organizations.
Julián Castro became the 16th U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development during former President Barack Obama’s second presidential term. Mr. Castro graduated from Stanford University and Harvard Law School. At age 26, Mr. Castro became San Antonio’s youngest city council member. He was elected the city’s mayor in 2009 and served until he joined the president’s cabinet in 2014. He gained national attention in 2012 when he delivered a keynote address at the Democratic National Convention.
Dr. Ramanathan Raju is the Senior Vice President and Community Health Investment Officer at Northwell Health, the largest healthcare provider in New York State. Dr. Raju set the strategic vision to improve New Yorkers’ health by finding ways to meet the needs of Northwell’s most vulnerable communities. By examining the existing programs aimed at improving the health system’s response to the community’s needs, the organization was able to partner with local organizations to address those needs. He was on Modern Healthcare’s lists of the nation’s “100 Most Influential People in Healthcare,” the “Top 25 Minority Executives in Healthcare” and the “50 Most Influential Physician Executives in Healthcare” for several consecutive years. Prior to joining Northwell, Dr. Raju was appointed as President and CEO by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to lead NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation, the largest public health system in the country.
Honoring Business Partners
Union Settlement will also honor two of its business partners: Proskauer and Deutsche Bank.
Proskauer is a leading international law firm with over 725 lawyers serving clients from 13 offices located in major financial and business centers across North and South America, Europe and Asia. Proskauer has provided pro bono assistance to Union Settlement on multiple occasions, conducted several law-in-the-workplace trainings for Union Settlement employees and funded many of its holiday gift drives.
Deutsche Bank is a leading provider of financial services to agencies, corporations, governments, private individuals and institutions in the Americas and around the world. Union Settlement has benefited from Deutsche Bank’s generous support of its literacy program. They also provided a three-year grant to support the creation of the East Harlem Neighborhood Network, which provided assistance to Mexican families with children from birth to eight years old in East Harlem. Deutsche Bank also provided almost 450 toys to low-income children in East Harlem as part of Union Settlement’s 2016 Holiday Gift Drive.
The support of Union Settlement’s benefactors enables the organization to effect real change. Union Settlement gratefully acknowledges the support of Spring Benefit Silver Sponsors: Deutsche Bank; Greater New York Hospital Association; Eli and Jennifer Gross; Kekst; Ruth E. Pachman & Donald T. Fallati; and Szilvia Szmuk-Tanenbaum, Ph.D.
About Union Settlement
Union Settlement is an on-the-ground resource for East Harlem residents of all ages, and a passionate advocate for the needs of underserved communities. Since opening our doors in 1895, we have brought education, wellness and community-building programs to our neighborhood, empowering New Yorkers with opportunities to better their lives. Employing over 400 staff, our services impact 10,000 people in our community every year. By helping our neighbors realize their goals, we build the vitality and success of East Harlem. Visit www.unionsettlement.org to learn more. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
# # #
Click here to download a PDF version.