Lifting Up Westchester 2023 Gala by liftingupwestchester

April 28, 2023

Dear Guests,

We are pleased to have so many members of the Lifting Up Westchester (LUW) family along with many new faces here with us this evening. Your belief in our organization has made it possible for us to permanently change the trajectory of the lives of so many members of our Westchester community.

We are united by one, bold and unwavering belief: that stable housing is the foundation on which human well-being and advancement is built. When people have a secure, affordable home, they can focus on advancing their education, health, and employment. We help individuals find that home and build on that foundation to achieve greater self-sufficiency. When we support others in living healthier and more productive lives, our entire community benefits.

Tonight, we celebrate AvalonBay Communities, Leon Feigenbaum, and Walter and Sylvia Simon, community members who tirelessly work to restore the well-being of our Westchester neighbors in need. Our honorees play a pivotal role – as leaders, donors, advocates, and front-line workers – in creating the support necessary for our Westchester neighbors to flourish. They embody the true spirit of service and demonstrate that when we support each other, we can achieve a better, more equitable community.

Thank you for being with us tonight and for your dedication to Lifting Up Westchester.

Gratefully,

Anahaita N. Kotval Chief Executive Officer

HONOREES AvalonBay

Leon Feigenbaum Walter and Sylvia Simon

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

George Kontogiannis, President

Despina Kartson, Vice-President

Michael E. DiNizo, Treasurer

Max Gaujean, Secretary

Calvin Chin

Diane Aparisio

Robert Brown

Dr. Dana Bryant

Calvin Chin

Janine Daughtry

Elena Gallo

Steve Groth

Andrew Heath

Mamta Mamik

Adil Mistry

John Morrison

Hannah Nelson

Adam Rodriguez

John Sabalja

Neal Siena

COMMUNITY COUNCIL

Kristin Ashman

Mayo Bartlett

Matt Darnall

Hans Dorsainvil

Louis Gallo

Lisa Gurbernick

Michael Katz

Kathleen Kiernan

Ravi Mittal

Chris Porcelli

Naomi Proctor

Larry Ruggieri

Harri Taranto

Gill Torres

Penelope Yates

You’re a shining example of how to Up Lift our community! We wish LUW even more success in the future.

-John and Janet Bailey

Congratulations Lifting Up Westchester On the 2023 Celebrating Lifelines to Lasting Change Gala ~

AvalonBay

AvalonBay Communities, Inc. is an equity REIT in the business of developing, redeveloping, acquiring and managing multifamily communities primarily in New England, the New York/New Jersey metro area, the Mid-Atlantic, the Pacific Northwest, and Northern and Southern California.

Rooted in its core value of A Spirit of Caring, AvalonBay has a longstanding history of building strong communities by giving back. AvalonBay deepened its commitment in 2015 launching its Building Strong Communities philanthropy program and community engagement strategy, which focuses on community preparedness and disaster relief, affordable housing, and support for at risk populations. Over the last 5 years, AvalonBay has been proud to partner with Lifting Up Westchester to help achieve their mission of providing support to men, women and children in need.

Leon Feigenbaum

Leon Feigenbaum is one of Lifting Up Westchester’s outstanding volunteers and supporters. Leon has contributed hundreds of hours of his time to LUW over the years, including coordinating meals for the kids during summer camp, volunteering at the Golf Outing, coordinating food prep and serving meals at our holiday events, and being a greeter throughout the year in the Community Kitchen. Leon always has a keen eye to help us improve our service delivery. After moving to the U.S. from Cape Town, South Africa in 1977, Leon ran his own leather garment manufacturing business, Chordas Inc., and in prior years was in logistical operational leadership roles for various companies. While Leon is now retired, his passion for feeding and caring for people in need combined with his operational skills have impacted LUW staff and the people we support in remarkable ways.

Congratulations

our dear friend

Leon Feigenbaum

On his well-deserved honor!

Barbara & Michael Picheny Gilda & Murray Forester Linda & Jacob Darer

Congratulations

To Honorees

Walter & Sylvia Simon

for their longstanding advocacy for the homeless of Westchester County

A well-deserved recognition

James and Veronica Shipp

Congratulations to Leon Feigenbaum

You are most deserving of this honor. We’re so proud of you and your dedication to assist those in need!

Love,

David and Rachel Stark

In honor of Hannah Nelson whose warmth, intelligence, elegance, energy and generosity benefit the Westchester community and all who are fortunate enough to be in her orbit.

- Bob & Shelley Fischel

Myth:

Everything is generally fine in Westchester.

Fact:

Westchester continues to be a wonderful place for many reasons, but increasingly it is place only for the wealthy. The affordable housing crisis and population trends in Westchester are reason for urgent concern.

others

Congratulations to All the Honorees!

Walter and Sylvia Simon

Leon Feigenbaum

AvalonBay Communities

~ Janine & Lloyd Daughtry

"

The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members"

-

Mahatma Ghandi

Grace Church honors and salutes its outstanding parishioners

Walter and Sylvia Simon

Thank you for all you do!

Your Grace/La Gracia Family

You lift us all up by your long-standing dedication to our community.

~ Ralph Marash

Congratulations to Leon Feigenbaum

Walter and Sylvia Simon

Walter and Sylvia Simon have been advocates since 1980 for Westchester County residents who become homeless. Caring for people who lost their housing and were living on the streets was not seen as a priority in the 80’s. When a man experiencing homelessness died alone outside one freezing cold winter day, the Simons and their fellow Grace Episcopal Church parishioners took to the streets carrying a coffin to raise awareness of the need for homeless services. Walter was a founding board member of what was then called Grace Community Center and is today Lifting Up Westchester (LUW). Sylvia started as an active volunteer at LUW’s Neighbors Home Care and assisted in the creation of Samaritan House, LUW’s Women’s Shelter. Over the decades, Walter and Sylvia have remained active supporters of Lifting Up Westchester’s efforts to support people regaining their independence.

Each year, Lifting Up Westchester permanently change the lives of 2,500 men, women, and children by finding them stable housing, food, income, and other support systems to allow them to maintain an improved quality of life.

Thank You to Lifting Up

Westchester for giving people in need the encouragement and hope necessary during a difficult time.

from Robert and Kira Almeida

-Anahaita Kotval & Zubeen Shroff

With gratitude for your unwavering support and dedication to help our

members thrive!

community

Congratulations to the Honorees & Thank you to the LUW Staff

you for your long-lasting work to better the lives of Westchester County residents.

much appreciation, Donna & Paxton Louis Congratulations to Sylvia and Walter Simon!

Thank

With

Thank You To Our Branding Committee

Despina Kartson

Leslie Green

Kat Nemec

Myth:

Providing food and shelter only enables people to remain homeless.

Fact:

Food and shelter are essentials for life. By offering these and other outreach services first, we build relationships with people experiencing homelessness. Then we’re able to offer other resources like emotional healing, academic support and job readiness training.