VIP Gala Program 2023

Changing Lives, One at a Time OCTOBER 4, 2023 • 6PM • ANNUAL GALA MARINA DEL REY • 1 MARINA DRIVE • BRONX, NY 10465

Our 2023 Gala theme, Changing Lives, One at a Time, speaks to the impact we make on individuals of all ages and whose needs may be simple (a vaccine or routine check-up) or complex (housing, behavioral health services, or support with a chronic illness). Our approach is person-centered, and our goal is to help individuals lead their best lives.

Event Committee Norris Clark Princeton Strategic Communications Sharelle Hicks Interior Resources Priyank Patel Felicity Pharmacy Sher Sparano OneGroup

Development Committee Salvatore Gogliormella, JD Chair* Lilliam Perez Amelia Corbie, MBA

*Board member through June 2023

VIP Community Services Board of Directors Officers William Bifulco, MBA Chair Jodi M. Sturgeon Vice Chair Zenali Tirado, JD Secretary Lionell G. Jackson, MBA Treasurer

Directors Dorian Alexander, MD Shameeza Ali, MS Amelia Corbie, MBA Neil Leibowitz, MD, JD Donna Lichti, RN Tina (HsinTing) Liu, CPA, MBA John P. Nero Lilliam Perez Althea Serrant Seth Townsend, PhD, MBA Paul L. Wilder

Chairs Emeriti Charles L. Burgess Amanda H. Parsons, MD, MBA

Directors Emeriti Virginia Bird Laura Parsons, PsyD William Trust, Jr., CPA

Leadership Team Debbian Fletcher-Blake, President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Darcia Bryden-Currie, Senior Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer Opal Dunstan, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer Tabitha Gaffney, Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer Dr. Ernst Jean, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer Frank Kploanyi, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Justin Mitchell, Senior Vice President and Chief Program Officer Carmen Rivera, Senior Vice President, Chief Vocational, and Community Affairs Officer Inez Sieben, Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Natasha Vernon, Counsel

Management Team Michael Addo, Director of Social Services, Hotel Omega Sanctuary Kersendria Abdullah, Director of Social Services, Archer Sanctuary Fenesha Blanchard, LMSW, MS, CASAC-M, Program Director – 822 Outpatient Services Terence Boyd, Director of Development Venus Brown, MSW, LMHC, MCASAC, Program Director – Metro Inn Shelter Dana Coleman, MSW, CASAC-T, CARC, Assistant Vice President, Housing and Shelter Herman Daniels, Program Director, Harlem Shelter Angela Francois, Director of Social Services, Hotel Mela Sanctuary Karen Frost, MSW, CASAC-T, CARC, Program Director – Casa Esperanza Shelter Rocheline Georges, Program Director, Hotel Mela Sanctuary Aurelio Gooden, Director of Human Resources Rosemary Gordon, Program Director – Flushing Meadows Hotel Sanctuary Ellen Hoffman, CASAC-G, SAP, MAC, CARC, FDC, Assistant Vice President, MAT Tracy Jackson, EdD, PA-C, FQHC Practice Transformation & Clinical Administrator Nicholas Jefferson, LMSW, CASAC-G, FDC, CARC SIFI, Assistant Vice President, Admissions James Johnson, Project Director, Harm Reduction Elitsa Bella Kichukova, Director, Executive Office Board Relations Fritz Limexant, Director of Program Operations, Archer Sanctuary Jimmy Liranzo, Director of IT & Information Security Alison Maling, LCSW, Assistant Vice President, CCBHC

Marika Mathias, Program Director – Hotel Omega Sanctuary Darline Magloire, Director of Social Services, 36th Street Sanctuary Joseph McCrawford, Director of Nursing, SUD Anna Otero, Director of Health Services Orquidea Pereira, Director of Program Operations, 36th Street Sanctuary JoAnn Perou, Program Director, Delancey Sanctuary Dr. Natalie Richardson, PhD, Vice President, Housing, Shelter and FTS Victoria Robinson, Program Director – 764 Residence Jonathan Robles, Assistant Vice President, FTS (Facility, Transportation, and Security) Nanda Saha, Controller Barbara Salcedo, Director, Quality Improvement and Informatics Sabrina Soto, Program Director, Archer Sanctuary Adrienne Terry, Program Director, 36th Street Sanctuary Susan Terrell Thomas, Program Director – 716 Residence Jason Torres, Director of Program Operations, Hotel Mela Sanctuary Janette Viera, LMSW, Program Director, Housing Brenda Wine-Cooks, Director of Shelters

vipservices.org 770 East 176th Street Bronx, NY 10460-4617

718.583.5150 phone

Debra A.Fletcher-Blake De Jesus Vizzi, MSW, LCSW Debbian President & Chief Executive Officer President

Dear Friends, Thank you for joining our annual Gala, themed “Changing Lives, One at Time.” Congratulations to our distinguished honorees Sher Sparano and Ponce Bank, our Community Builder award recipient Paloma Izquierdo-Hernandez, and our Political Impact award recipient Senator Luis Sepúlveda. Each of these individuals has had an impact on many lives, and we are honored to recognize their contributions.

Our Gala is an opportunity to come together in support of the clients who need medical care, housing and shelter, behavioral health, case management and other services. The ongoing opioid crisis, COVID 19 and the continued influx of asylum seekers to New York City are daily reminders that VIP’s work is needed now more than ever.

The Bronx has among the highest rates of opioid use and overdose deaths and as many as 1,000 migrants arrive each day in NYC. We are seeing increasing rates of mental health challenges among children, and people still struggle to access basic health care.

General trends and statistics don’t tell the full story. Each client who walks through our doors has a story and a hope for a better future, and each day our staff help our clients get closer to that better future. We may not always see the impact of our work, but we know that with each visit, support group, medical treatment, or counseling session, we are helping make someone’s life better, and in many cases, saving lives. Through our harm reduction work in the community and our newly launched mobile medication unit, we know we are making an impact where it is needed most. By providing shelter to families with desperate needs, including migrants and others experiencing homelessness, we know we are helping people get back on their feet. And by providing needed primary and specialty care, we are making sure people get the care they need to manage their diabetes, hypertension, and other chronic illnesses, one at a time.

Among the clients who received services last year, the overwhelming majority are diagnosed with chronic medical conditions, mental illness and/or substance use disorders. Ninety percent live in poverty, more than 74% are unemployed, and over 65% did not graduate high school.

It is with the support from people like you that VIP can continue to address these challenges, to make sure those most vulnerable are not forgotten. Your continued support of VIP will help us bring equitable services to underresourced communities.

We are deeply grateful to our supporters, honorees and award recipients, Board of Directors and staff, and to all who have made this Gala a success. Most importantly, we are humbled and honored by the clients for their trust and partnership.

Respectfully,

___________________________ William Bifulco Board Chair

______________________________ Debbian Fletcher-Blake President & Chief Executive Officer Changing Lives, Transforming Our Community

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Officers: William Bifulco, Chair • Jodi Sturgeon, Vice Chair • Zenali Tirado, Secretary • Lionell G. Jackson, Treasurer Directors: Dorian Alexander • Shameeza Ali • Amelia Corbie • Neil Leibowitz • Donna Lichti • Tina (HsinTing) Liu • John P. Nero • Lilliam Perez • Althea Serrant • Seth Townsend • Paul L. Wilder Chairs Emeriti: Charles L. Burgess • Amanda H. Parsons Directors Emeriti: Virginia Bird • Steve Edwards • Laura Parsons • William Trust, Jr.

VIP Continues to Make an Impact In the past year, VIP: • • • • • • •

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Served over 7,000 unique patients.

Provided shelter services to over 3,700 men, women, and children.

Administered Covid-19 and school-required vaccines to 440 individuals in our Sanctuary facilities.

Ensured 100% of children in our Sanctuary facilities are enrolled in school.

Launched a mental-health school-based clinic, providing counseling to 37 children and having at least one contact with 1,946 children.

Trained over 1,600 individuals to administer naloxone and distributed nearly 3,216 naloxone kits.

Engaged over 2,000 clients in substance use disorder treatment services through our Opioid Treatment Program (OTP), Outpatient Program, and Residential Treatment Facilities.

Launched a Mobile Medication Unit to provide Opioid treatment services through community-based partnerships.

Received a $400K SAMHSA grant for a peer-led community-based overdose prevention program, aiming to increase access to prevention and harm reduction services for more than 1,000 unique individuals over the next three years.

Conducted 421 vocational trainings on various topics, including resume building, food handling, security, OSHA, and site safety.

Celebrated the second year of delivering the remote monitoring program in collaboration with the Community Health Care Association of New York State (CHCANYS). Of the 98 enrolled, 47 continued in the program, with 75% improving their blood pressure from their baseline.

Organized numerous community outreach and education events, including the distribution of Narcan kits and Fentanyl strips, referrals to services, and community events such as job fairs, health fairs and community resource fairs.

Partnered with St. Barnabas Hospital, BronxCare Hospital and Healthfirst to establish an emergency-room based initiative aimed at connecting patients presenting with behavioral health issues to care. This work is being recognized on NYC Imagine Awards’ Innovation Category.

To connect community members to healthy foods, partnered with Green Market to distribute fresh produce.

Partnered with the NYPD to help keep communities safe.

BRONX BOROUGH PRESIDENT VANESSA L. GIBSON

June 21, 2023 Debbian Fletcher-Blake President & CEO VIP Community Services 770 East 176th Street Bronx New York 10460 Dear Ms. Fletcher-Blake, Congratulations to you and the Board of Directors at VIP Community Services as you celebrate your 49th Anniversary of service in the East Tremont community and beyond. Opening your doors in 1974 to a neighborhood besieged by systemic poverty, chronic drug abuse and high unemployment, VIP Community Services has become a force for positive change and the results are evident today. Through housing, job training, therapeutic counseling, and more, renewal and hope has replaced despair in the lives of countless individuals who have come to you for support.

This year’s theme, Changing Lives, One at a Time, exemplifies exactly what you have done for our borough. Your person-centered approach honors and validates those with unique challenges seeking support. Undaunted by this mission to bring positive change, VIP Community Services has continued to grow from 8 employees working from a church basement to today where over 300 committed and dedicated staff members are ready to provide the care and compassion needed to see their clients live their best lives.

On behalf of the Bronx’s 1.4 million, thank you for remaining true to your vision to uplift the lives of all our residents!

Once again, Happy 49th Anniversary!

Sincerely yours,

Vanessa L. Gibson Bronx Borough President

Debbian Fletcher-Blake CEO & President VIP Community Services 770 East 176th Street Bronx, N.Y. 10460 Dear Ms. Rivera, Congratulations to VIP Community Services, now celebrating 49 years of service to the Bronx!

Since its establishment in 1974, VIP has been a beacon of hope and support for thousands of individuals who faced economic hardships during the tumultuous 1970s and 1980s, an era that left neighborhoods scarred with debris and uncertainty.

Throughout those trying times, VIP Community Services demonstrated remarkable resilience, standing firm in its commitment to helping its clients, even as the shadows of redlining and urban blight cast doubt on the future of our beloved Bronx. With diligence, faith, and hope, VIP persevered, firmly believing in the promise of better days to come, recognizing the inherent value in every person that sought their assistance, regardless of their zip code.

In particular, I wish to commend your organization's dedication in assisting various vulnerable groups in our community, including our seniors, expecting mothers, survivors of domestic violence, individuals struggling with addictions, our LGBTQIA+ youths, and countless others. Your tireless efforts have not gone unnoticed, and on behalf of the Bronx residents, I extend my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation.

The impact of VIP Community Services reaches far and wide, and we are immensely grateful for the care and support you consistently offer. This momentous occasion is a testament to the difference your organization has made in countless lives, and I am confident that there will be many more such celebrations in the future.

Once again, congratulations on this remarkable achievement, and may you continue to be a guiding light for the Bronx, providing hope, healing, and opportunities for all who walk through your doors.

Sincerely,

July 26th, 2023 VIP Community Services 770 E. 176th Street Bronx, NY 10460 Dear Friends, It is an honor to join my associates in celebrating VIP Community Services’ 49th anniversary of serving the Bronx. The organization has helped Bronx residents lead healthier and happier lives for almost half a century. On behalf of my constituents, I would like to thank VIP for their work.

For this year’s Gala, VIP Community Services has chosen to recognize the following individuals: Ponce Bank for their ongoing service to the community as well as awarding the VIP Community Builder Award to Paloma Izquierdo-Hernandez; President and Chief Executive Officer of Urban Health Plan; and presenting the Political Impact Award to Senator Luis R. Sepúlveda. These individuals are examples of the excellence our great borough can inspire.

Many of my political goals center around health and wellness, so I appreciate the theme of this year’s gala: Changing Lives, One at a Time. It is undeniable that, over the past year, VIP Community Services has been one of the most dependent sources of health resources for underserved members of our community, thanks to their person-centered approach. I continuously support them because they have saved many lives in our borough.

I take great pleasure celebrating this year’s Gala with VIP Community Services, and I look forward to continuing our work to make the Bronx a better place.

Sincerely,

Chantel Jackson, LMSW Assembly Member District 79

ALBANY OFFICE: Room 643, Legislative Office Building, Albany, New York 12248 518-455-5272, FAX: 518-455-5925 DISTRICT OFFICE: 780 Concourse Village West, Bronx, New York 10451 718-538-3829, FAX: 718-588-0159 EMAIL: jacksonc@nyassembly.gov

Program COCKTAIL RECEPTION MUSICAL PERFORMANCE Highbridge Voices WELCOME Debbian Fletcher-Blake William Bifulco, Board Chair COMMUNITY BUILDER AWARD Paloma Izquierdo-Hernandez POLITICAL IMPACT AWARD NYS Senator Luis R. Sepúlveda HONOREES Sher Sparano Ponce Bank CLIENT FOCUS ART AUCTION CLOSING REMARKS DANCING AND NETWORKING

Featured Honorees:

PONCE BANK

SHER SPARANO

PALOMA IZQUIERDO-HERNANDEZ

NYS SENATOR LUIS SEPÚLVEDA

Our Emcee

V.P. Walling V.P. Walling (he/him) has acted in more than 60 plays, musicals, films, television episodes, and commercials.

Trained in New York and Los Angeles at the Atlantic, Groundlings, and Upright Citizens Brigade theaters, and “a bit off-kilter…expertly straddling the line between comedy and drama, alluring leading man and oddly tender manchild-nextdoor” (NY Theater Review), he has had the pleasure of working and learning alongside such diverse, talented artists as: the Coen Brothers, Janusz Kaminski, Denzel Washington, Jaimie Alexander, Frances McDormand, George Clooney, Brendan Gleeson, Robin Weigert, Seth Rogen, and Erik Estrada, to name but a few. He lives with his family, a rescue Cheagle named Rodney Rickles, and a healthy obsession with Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

The 2023 Honoree Ponce Bank Represented by Carlos P. Naudon, Director, President and CEO

Ponce Bank is both a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and a Minority Depository Institution (MDI), one of less than 50 banks so designated in the country. They have never wavered from our original mission and reinvest more than 80% of our deposits directly into the communities they serve, which now include the Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and Union City (New Jersey.)

Since founded, Ponce Bank has provided financial services to communities long ignored by big-ger banks. They have grown to be one of the largest Latino-led banks east of the Mississippi, and are now a certified SBA Lender.

In 2017, they created the Ponce de Leon Foundation which to date has donated over $1.7 million in grants to 90 nonprofits serving our communities. Ponce Bank will continue to expand and invest in our communities for many years to come.

The 2023 Honoree Sher Sparano Senior Vice President OneGroup

Sher Sparano has over 30 years of experience in the health care industry.

She has held positions at all levels in the employee benefits and health care arena, including working as a benefits specialist for multiple hospitals/medical centers, as an administrator for the New York State Nurses Benefits and Pension Funds, as a senior executive at Empire BlueCross/Blue Shield, and as a vice president of BlueCross Maryland’s managed care division.

Sher has extensive experience overseeing benefit design and implementation, negotiations, participant enrollment, education, customer service and consulting, underwriting, claim processing, marketing, contracts, employee handbooks, conflict resolution and much more.

Sher and her husband founded Benefits Advisory Service, Inc., where she took on numerous consulting projects, offering clients a unique advantage with her invaluable wraparound expertise in the health care arena. In 2017, Benefits Advisory Service joined the OneGroup team of insurance, risk management, employee benefit and human resources specialists to offer her clients expanded resources and to better advocate on their behalf.

A firm believer in community service involvement, Sher serves as a Board Member in the Queens Chamber of Commerce, the Samaritan Foundation, and the Rego Park/Forest Hills Lions Club to name a few.

Political Impact Award NYS Senator Luis Sepúlveda 32nd District

Senator Luis R. Sepúlveda was first elected to represent the 32nd Senate District in April 2018. His diverse district covers large parts of the South and Central Bronx. He previously served for three terms as the Assemblyman for the 87th Assembly District.

A staunch advocate for his constituents and the people of the state of New York, Senator Sepúlveda has been a champion of bolstering economic opportunity, diversity, and social service reforms, especially as they affect middle and working-class families.

Senator Sepúlveda has continuously advocated for increased funding for community health and mental health services. His efforts to raise the visibility among legislators and key opinion leaders of the alarming suicide rate in the Latina teen population proved fruitful most recently when Governor Cuomo announced the formation of the New York State Suicide Prevention Task Force. The Senator also worked closely with Mayor de Blasio in 2014 to secure funding for universal pre-kindergarten in New York City.

As a representative of one of the lowest income districts in the state and with an unwavering commitment to improving the lives of his constituents, Senator Sepúlveda is deeply engaged in his community and creating opportunities for educational and economic justice. His district office’s top priority is to provide reliable, excellent, and unrivaled constituent services, on issues including housing, healthcare, social services, and more. He regularly hosts free workshops, job fairs, and resource fairs in the community.

Community Builder Award Paloma Izquierdo-Hernandez President & CEO Urban Health Plan Paloma Izquierdo-Hernandez is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Urban Health Plan, one of the largest community health center networks in New York State. Paloma has devoted her career to increasing access to high-quality, affordable health care and reducing the rates of health disparities in underserved communities. Paloma’s unwavering commitment to advancing Urban Health Plan’s mission is reflected in both the organization’s successes and the positive impact it has on the communities it serves.

Under Paloma’s leadership, Urban Health Plan has grown from a onesite health center in the South Bronx to a network of twelve federally qualified community health centers, spanning the Bronx, Central Harlem, and Corona, Queens. The organization is also comprised of two mental health facilities, and twelve school-based health centers, all serving over 400,000 patients annually. In addition, Urban Health Plan offers many grant-funded programs and WIC services throughout its locations.

It is with great pride that Paloma dedicates herself to continuing the work and vision of her late father, Dr. Richard Izquierdo, M.D., the founder of Urban Health Plan. In 2009, the Dr. Richard Izquierdo Health and Science Charter School was founded as a way of addressing the community’s educational gaps and developing a future pipeline of health professionals. Since its inception, The School has had high college acceptance rates.

Paloma currently serves as the Chair-Elect of the National Association of Community Health Centers and on other numerous boards. She has also served as the chairperson of the board of directors of the Community Health Care Association of New York State (CHCANYS).

Sunny Builders NY We honor VIP Community Services for its 49 years of service to the Bronx and now to all of New York.

We appreciate our partnership and congratulate this year’s honorees.

We’d like to thank our sponsors for their support: Community Leadership Sponsor

Sunny Builders NY Circle of Hope Sponsors

Circle of Love Sponsors

Here at Good Eats, we believe that everyone deserves tasty and nutritious food. Our meals are designed and crafted by trained chefs. Our Registered Dietician makes sure each meal is packed with enough nutrients to sustain a healthy body. The quality of our food is extremely important to us, which is not true of most of our competitors. We take pride in our high standards, and commitment to providing the absolute best. Therefore, we will NEVER cut corners and sacrifice quality to increase our profits.

We at Good Eats are enthusiastic about the possibilities within our collaboration with VIP. Together, we plan to build a job training program where people can gain the skills and confidence to transition out of the shelter system.

We look forward to growing with VIP.

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BioReference is Proud to Support VIP Community Services Changing Lives, One at a Time

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We honor

VIP Community Services for its 49 years of service to the Bronx and now to all of New York.

We appreciate our partnership and congratulate this year’s honorees.

ELMO Realty Co. Inc. Office (212) 736-4300 350 Fifth Avenue, Suite 5320 | New York, NY 10118

Circle of Peace Sponsors

NRP Food Solutions Parsons Family Foundation Salvatore Gogliormella

Ameritech Systems Corp.

Providing total fire, security & communications solutions

131-35 31st Ave, 2FL, Flushing, NY, 11354 Tel: (718)353-0477 Fax: (718)353-4468 Toll Free (866)690-9988 E-Mail: Ameritechsystems@gmail.com

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INSTALLATION –S ERVICE-MAINTENANCE -- Video Surveillance Installations and Licensed by the NYS Depto f State: Lic# 12000262598 Monitoring -- Fire / Burglar Alarms Installations FDNY S97 Cert#87546263, NYC Fire Dept. Approved Company ID 248 -- Access Control and Card Reading Licensed by the NJ Dept. of System Consumer Affairs: Lic# 34BX00008700 -- Audio / Video Intercom Systems NJ DFS Fire Permit: P01133 -- Access Management and Control CT State Lic: # ELC.0194193-C5

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THANK YOU

LAURA PARSONS ON THIS THE OCCASION OF OUR

2023 GALA: CHANGING LIVES, ONE AT A TIME We Appreciate Your Ongoing Support and Commitment to the VIP Mission October 4, 2023

PROGUARD PROTECTION INC.

CONGRATULATES

VIP COMMUNITY SERVICES FOR ANOTHER GLORIOUS YEAR IN OUR COMMUNITY

WE THANK YOU WE SALUTE YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY 540 East 180th Street Suite 201 Bronx, NY 10457

718-484-1890

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Circle of Care Sponsors

Circle of Care Sponsors

Karen Ashkenase

Neil & Dana Leibowitz

Seth Townsend

Tejpal Sandhu

Joseph Kanjamala & the Managing Directors of CBIZ Marks Paneth

Are Proud to Support

VIP Community Services And congratulate the honorees Ponce Bank and Sher Sparano.

CBIZ Marks Paneth, formerly known as Marks Paneth LLP, joined CBIZ in January 2022. © Copyright 2023 CBIZ, Inc. All rights reserved.

CBIZ.COM/CBIZMARKSPANETH

“Helping to Rebuild Neighborhoods One Building at a Time”

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OUGERT ANAGEMENT CORP.

1152 Lydig Avenue • Bronx, New York 10461 — (718) 828-5388

WELCOME TO A NEW ENERGY IN FINANCE. Flagstar Bank is proud to support the invaluable work that VIP community services provides to improve the lives of the men and women of our New York City community.

Congratulations to this year’s honorees, Ponce Bank and Sher Sparano.

Contact our client service team to learn more.

David Artis Group Director – SVP david.artis@flagstar.com

flagstar.com | Member FDIC | Equal Housing Lender

all

people deserve healthcare Healthfirst celebrates the VIP Community Services Annual Gala and Its Honorees Ponce Bank Sher Sparano, Senior Vice President, OneGroup Paloma Izquierdo-Hernandez, President and Chief Executive Officer, Urban Health Plan Luis R. Sepúlveda, NYS Senator, 32nd District

Healthfirst is the brand name used for products and services provided by one or more of the Healthfirst group of affiliated companies.

1245-23

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE HONOREES We honor VIP Community Services for its 49 years of service to the Bronx and now to all of New York. We appreciate our partnership and congratulate this year’s honorees.

Karen Ashkenase

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE HONOREES We are grateful to all the staff at VIP for continuing to exceed expectations and provide an amazing experience to both consumers and the Bronx Community Neil & Dana Leibowitz

Montefiore Einstein is honored to continuously support VIP Community Services while they strive to enhance their mission.

Congratulations to all the honorees.

WE ARE PROUD TO ACCEPT THE VIP AWARD RECOGNIZING OUR SERVICE AND COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY. Thank you to our CEO Carlos Naudon for accepting this award on behalf of Ponce Bank.

Ponce Bank was born in The Bronx in 1960, where our Puerto Rican founders saw the potential of proud, diverse, neighborhoods, anchored by a strong immigrant work ethic, and entrepreneurial spirit.

Today, we are a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) & a Minority Depository Institution (MDI), promoting social, health, economic, and climate equity for all our neighbors. Ponce Bank. Love Local Banking poncebank poncebank.com

Carlos P. Naudon President & CEO Ponce Bank

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE HONOREES

We honor VIP Community Services for its 49 years of service to the Bronx and now to all of New York. We appreciate our partnership and congratulate this year’s honorees.

Seth Townsend

We honor VIP Community Services for its 49 years of service to the Bronx and now to all of New York. We appreciate our partnership and congratulate this year’s honorees.

Urban Health Plan salutes

VIP Community Services and celebrates

Changing Lives, One at a Time Congratulations to our President and CEO

Paloma Hernandez

for receiving the Community Builder Award Congratulations to the other 2023 Honorees: NYS Senator Luis Sepúlveda 32nd District Political Impact Award

Sher Sparano Senior Vice President OneGroup

Ponce Bank Represented by Carlos P. Naudon President and CEO

Here’s to the heroes!

We are proud to support VIP Community Services and the care services they provide to our friends and neighbors.

76 N. Pearl Street, Suite 3, Albany, NY 518 427 7350 | brownweinraub.com

Government Relations | Strategy Healthcare Consulting & Advocacy | Corporate and Legal Affairs

CONGRATULATES VIP Community Services On the Annual Gala

Changing Lives, One at a Time We are proud to join you in this celebration!

A SPECIAL CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THIS YEAR'S AWARDEES WHOSE WORK IS TRANSFORMING LIVES!

Eddie Batiz CEO eBatiz Results Driven Digital Marketing www.ebatiz.com

With gratitude to the leadership and staff of VIP Community Services for their ongoing services to the people of New York.

George & Annette Davidson

We join you in celebrating CEO Debbian Fletcher-Blake and the entire staff of VIP Community Services

We are proud to partner with VIP Community Services to improve the health of our communities.

Congratulations to tonight’s honorees: Ponce Bank, Sher Sparano, NYS Senator Senator Luis R. Sepúlveda and Paloma Izquierdo-Hernandez Health Care |

Training

| Outreach and Advocacy |

www.institute.org

Research

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR HONOREES

Deep and heartfelt thanks to The Staff of VIP for its tireless work and unflinching commitment.

With respect and admiration for the courageous clients of VIP. Salvatore Gogliormella

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HONORING OUR GOOD FRIEND PALOMA IZQUIERDO-HERNANDEZ URBAN HEALTH’S PRESIDENT AND CEO  IP’S WITH V  COMMUNITY BUILDER AWARD

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Is proud to support VIP Community Services Congratulations to Honorees Sher Sparano, Ponce Bank Paloma Hernandez-Izquierdo, Community Builder Award NYS Senator Luis Sepúlveda, Special Recognition

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1-800-526-5760

550 West John Street, Hicksville, NY 11801-1039 www.hercnet.com

We are proud to support Debbian Fletcher-Blake and VIP Community Services!

Congratulations to the 2023 Honorees

Ponce Bank Sher Sparano, OneGroup NYS Senator Luis Sepulveda, 32nd District

Political Impact Award

Paloma Izquierdo-Hernandez, Urban Health Plan Community Builder Award

www.phoenixhouseny.org www.phoenixhouseny.org

Thank you to everyone at VIP for your great work for the community!

R. V. P.

Flooring Systems, Inc.

Carmel NY 10512 845-878-7787

providing since 1974.

SACHR is proud to express our sincerest gratitude and support to everyone at VIP Community Services for their incredible leadership and impactful community service they have been providing since 1974.

886 Westchester Ave, Ground Floor, Bronx, NY 10459 ~ Tel: 718-585-5544 ~ Fax: 718-585-8314 ~ www.sachr.org

CONGRATULATIONS TO VIP AND THE HONOREES

886 Westchester Ave, Ground Floor, Bronx, NY 10459 ~ Tel: 718-585-5544 ~ Fax: 718-585-8314 ~ www.sachr.org

William (Bill) M. Trust, Jr. on behalf of

The Board of Trustees of Montefiore Nyack Hospital

Additional Special Donor Listing

Carol Cassell Dale Carnegie ICD Consulting Alfredo Jones Tina Liu Edmund Fs Perry Karen Primack Richter Restrepo PLLC Tahisha Salmon Lue-Hing

In Honor/Memory

In Memory of Donald L. Ashkenase In Honor of Debbian Fletcher-Blake In Honor of Paloma Izquierdo-Hernandez In Honor of NYS Senator Luis Sepúlveda In Honor of Sher Sparano

Special Thanks We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude, first and foremost, to our patients who generously volunteered their time to share their impactful testimonials with our audience.

Development Team Princeton Strategic Communications TopNotch Marina del Rey Staff Volunteers Procurement Accounts Payable Facilities Executive Team Board of Directors Highbridge Voices Honorees V.P. Walling Thank you to everyone who made this gala a memorable and impactful occasion.

“Emerging”

Our 2023 Gala will feature artwork available for purchase. One hundred percent of proceeds will go toward supporting VIP Community Services’ mission and community efforts.

Paintings have been created and donated to VIP

by Inez Sieben, a Pelhambased visual artist, and VIP’s Chief Strategy Officer.

Thank You!