View Photos from the Breakfast

The New York Women’s Foundation® (NYWF®) has announced its largest funding round to date. This year it will grant $2,030,000 to programs working with low-income women and girls throughout the five boroughs of New York City.

Over 2,200 guests attended the event, which was hosted by stage and film actor Phylicia Rashad. They joined The Foundation in celebrating the courage and vision of its founding pioneers, the work of its grantee partners, and five exceptional women for their incredible impact upon social justice.

Celebrating Women Awards were presented to actor, producer and radio host Whoopi Goldberg; film director Mira Nair; and founder and executive director of the Dominican Women’s Development Center, Rosita M. Romero. For her groundbreaking work as a labor organizer and social activist, Dolores C. Huerta was presented with the Century Award; and philanthropist Abigail E. Disney accepted the Visionary Award for her bold initiatives for ending poverty and social inequity.

The 2007 NYWF® grantee partners were also acknowledged for their leadership and commitment to addressing the myriad issues facing women and girls in New York City. This year, the Foundation will award grants to 61 programs throughout New York City. Grants are award to organizations in five critical funding areas: community organizing and advocacy; economic security and justice; health and sexual rights; positive development for young women and girls; and safety. In 2007, 45 organizations received reauthorized funding; five programs returned to be funded and 11 organizations were new to the Foundation. To support organizational sustainability over time, the Foundation will continue to offer capacity building and technical assistance grants to its grantee partners. To view grantee partners, click here.

Ana L. Oliveira, President and CEO of the Foundation, addressed the audience about the reason for philanthropic giving: a third of New Yorkers live in poverty and the pervasive inequities in the treatment of women and girls in our communities. Philanthropist and a NYWF® founding pioneer Helen LaKelly Hunt spoke about raising the bar on giving. Telling a compelling story about a group of impoverished Ugandan women who pooled two weeks salary to send to Katrina victims, Hunt put into perspective the difference between the “need” of the affluent to feel financially comfortable, and the needs of the poor to survive and support their families. The attendees joined her in raising the bar: this year we raised an unprecedented $250,819 at the Breakfast.

Activist philanthropist Abigail Disney also boldly dared everyone to improve the world when she announced her “I Declare My Interdependence” Challenge. To take part in the Challenge, donors must make two donations within 90days: one to The New York Women’s Foundation® and another to an organization that “reflects your deepest passion about justice and social change.” Donors must give more than they normally would, and the gift should be given in lieu of something else they really wanted to buy. Abby will match qualifying gifts, up to a million dollars, in the form of a grant to the NYWF®. To Delcare Your Interdependence, click here.

Mayor Bloomberg applauded The Foundation for its dedication to helping New York City’s low-income women and girls climb out of poverty, as well as his own commitment to helping all New Yorkers lead more fulfilling lives. In celebration of its 20th anniversary, the NYWF® also honored its founding pioneers for their vision and commitment to starting The Foundation, from its inception as a cross-cultural alliance to help raise women and girls in New York City out of poverty. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg introduced a video, produced by Oxygen Media, which featured some of the founding pioneers and told the story about the how The Foundation came into being.

Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz also honored the NYWF® with a proclamation. The proclamation was presented to the Foundation by Borough of Brooklyn Director of Community Relations Adrian Straker in recognition of it commitment to helping New York City’s underserved communities.