The New York Women’s Foundation’s Stepping Out and Stepping Up will honor Elizabeth and Herbert Sturz and Sheryl WuDunn and Nicholas D. Kristof. The Stepping Up Award will be presented to New Yorkers who serve as role models and demonstrate courageous leadership, vision and commitment to women and girls as individuals and as partners. The evening will begin with a cocktail reception, followed by dinner and dancing and include a special performance by Grammy Award-winning recording artist, Mary J. Blige.

Co-Chairs for the evening include Hyatt Bass, Sayu V. Bhojwani, Aiyoung Choi, Susan R. Cullman, Grace Hightower De Niro, Somers Farkas, Carolyn Buck Luce, Margaret Munzer Loeb, Jean Shafiroff, Diana L. Taylor, Jacqueline P. Togut, and Barbara Brizzi Wynne.

Established in 1987 as a public philanthropy, the New York Women’s Foundation is a cross-cultural alliance of women, serving as a force for change for women. From the outset, the Foundation’s founders strove to identify innovative organizations that were affecting change in the communities they served for women. NYWF strategically funds organizations and programs that move women, girls and families towards long-term economic security through individual transformation and systematic change, mobilizing leaders and community partners as philanthropists and change agents. Over the past twenty-two years, NYWF surpassed $20 million ($20,350,445) in grants to over 240 nonprofit organizations, improving the lives of five million women and girls in New York City. 74% of the nonprofit organizations that NYWF has funded over the years are successfully thriving. This year, NYWF responded to the economic crisis by launching RISE-NYC!, a partnership initiative and increasing its grant-making
by 23%.

NYWF funds programs in that promote economic security and justice, health
and sexual rights, positive development of girls and young women, and safety.

WHEN:           Wednesday, October 14, 2009     

                      Cocktail Reception

                      6:30 PM

                      Dinner & Dancing

                      7:30PM