Literacy Associates, the under-50 supporters of Literacy Partners, celebrated their inaugural Benefit at Tenjune.   Thanks to the generous support of Gen-X and Gen-Y fast trackers and headliners from the worlds of fashion, design and media, the event was a resounding success.

Caroline Kennedy kicked off the evening by sharing a shocking fact:  3.5 million New York State residents cannot read above the fifth grade level.  She went on to say, “Learning to read and write can change the future of an entire family for generations.  By breaking the cycle of illiteracy, parents can greatly increase their earning potential, provide better healthcare for their families and create a brighter future for their children.”

Chaired by Andrea Rosen and Stefan Friedman, this year's event featured Real Housewives of New York’s Bethenny Frankel and Literacy Partners Board Members Lee Eastman, Jeff Sharp, Peter Brown, Kath Raymond, Jane Friedman, Sonia Reese and Sharon King Hoge. 

Also in attendance were Literacy Associates Committee Members Jennifer Baltimore Johnson, Rachel Chou, Jennifer Civiletto, Anthony Corrao, Clementine Crawford, Erin Crum, Lauren Finney, Mary Pat Gillin, Elisa Lipsky-Karasz, Leigh Ellen Matheny, Diane Naughton, Christy Grace Provinces, Melissa Russo, Margot Schupf, Marissa Shorenstein, Anne-Lise Spitzer, Alison Steedman, Liate Stehlik, Maureen Sullivan, Tammy Sun, Dana Waisburg and Rod Winterrowd. 

Literacy Associates were also joined by Shawn Sachs, Kimberly Spell, Frank Gribbon, Benjamin Schrank, Rachel Jacobson, Suzanne Wissert, Les Hinton, Lenny Allen, Mary McBride, Luke Parker Bowles, Marisha Pessl and
Kate Sullivan.

To support the event, from now until June 10, an online auction is being held at: www.charityfolks.com/literacypartners   Supporters can
bid on exciting items like a one-week Jamaican vacation, a behind-the-scenes VIP tour of The TODAY Show and the opportunity to name a character in the next installment of
James Patterson’s bestselling series, Maximum Ride.  If
bidding on the Maximum Ride lot exceeds $10,000, Patterson will also dedicate the book to the lucky winner.

About Literacy Partners:  For 35 years, Literacy Partners has helped thousands of New Yorkers learn the basic reading, writing and math skills needed to succeed in day-to-day living. Through successful collaborations with major corporations, community partners and benefactors, Literacy Partners offers small, welcoming classes taught by enthusiastic, highly trained volunteer tutors. Literacy Partners is the only nationally accredited adult literacy program serving New York City. For more information, visit www.literacypartners.org