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BRONX CHILDREN’S MUSEUM 2ND ANNUAL
GALA RAISED $465,000
New York, New York (May 8,
2018) “Building Our Future Together” was the focus
of Bronx Children’s Museum’s second Annual Gala at
an evening of star-studded excitement for close to
400 eventgoers at the Edison Ballroom in New York
City raising $465,000.
Friends and supporters joined Event
Co-Chairs Bronx-born Kerry Washington,
actress, producer, activist, and daughter of Museum
Board Member Valerie Washington; Richard Abrons,
playwright, activist; and Bronx
native Rafael Collado, entrepreneur.
Everyone came together to honor Sonia Manzano,
“Maria” from Sesame Street, author, activist,
who grew up in the Bronx; Chazz Palminteri,
Bronx-born actor, director, creator of “A Bronx
Tale; and Kerry Malawista and Alan Heilbron,
donors of the “Museum On The Go!” Bus (which was
parked outside the Edison Ballroom). Bronx
Children’s Museum Imagination Awards were presented
for outstanding generosity and commitment to the
Bronx Children’s Museum.
Bronx-born Museum Board Member Sunny Hostin, Co-Host
of ABC Daytime’s Morning Show The View, Senior
Legal Correspondent and Analyst for ABC News, was
the extraordinary Master of Ceremonies.
Entertainment was provided by renowned Bronx-born
Jazz Pianist and Educator Dr. Valerie Capers. The
evening began with a cocktail reception, followed
by a live auction and dinner.
“Our museum is at a crossroads in
many ways,” emphasized Carla Precht, Bronx
Children’s Museum Executive Director. “Although we
have been ‘building-less’ for more than 12 years, we
have made the streets of the Bronx our home through
our outreach programs. Now, as we grow from being a
virtual museum with no physical space to one with a
building, we expect to serve four times the number
of people we already see. Our budget is about to
double as we expand far beyond what we currently do.
We are about to make history as the first children’s
museum — with and without walls — in the Bronx.
Having a Gala to raise operating funds is essential
to our long-term sustainability."
Leslie Wright, NYC
Regional Director for New York State Park,
Recreation & Historic Preservation, took to the
stage to share work being done at Roberto Clemente
State Park as part of the Little Friends of the
Museum program. She introduced 2nd grader Cerenity Blanding, who
said, “I love to learn about nature and explore more
about the art in the Bronx. I want people to aspire
to go outside, explore trees, bugs and flowers
located all around.”
Said Co-Chair Kerry Washington: “It
is such a shame that the Bronx is the only borough
without a children’s museum facility, because the
message that it sends to our children is that our
expectations of them are less than the expectations
of other kids in other boroughs, as if somehow, they
are less deserving of joy and intelligence and
aspiration and the ability to exceed our
expectations. That has to become a belief of the
past. That paradigm has to shift. I want the Bronx
Children’s Museum to be part of a resurrection in
the Bronx. I want this Museum to be an emblem of
who we really are. I want people to know that the
people in the Bronx are smart, powerful, courageous
and strong, and there is no limit to who we can
be.”
Ms. Washington introduced Charles Antin, a
passionate auctioneer, who presented a series
of live auction items. Mr. Antin then
conducted a Fund-A-Need auction, meeting the
Museum’s goal of $100,000. The funds will
provide vital support for the opening of the
Museum’s building and its programs currently offered
throughout the Bronx.
A dedicated champion of the Museum, Bronx
Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. took to the
stage to present an Imagination Award to Sonia
Manzano, a first-generation American who was
instrumental in bringing a Latino face to
television. A long-time advocate for the Bronx
Children’s Museum, Ms. Manzano received a Lifetime
Achievement Award at the 43rd Annual
Daytime Emmy Awards. She is the author of children’s
books, a novel, and the memoir, Becoming Maria:
Love and Chaos in the South Bronx. Ms. Manzano
said, “In our current culture of dismantling
institutions, it warms my heart to be part of
something positive being built. The Bronx Children's
Museum is a shining example of positivity, good will
and hope for the future.”
Vanessa Gibson, NYC
Council Member, 16th District, who
has advocated on behalf of the Museum since its
conception, introduced honorees Kerry Malawista and
Alan Heilbron.
Several years ago, they gifted a redesigned former
school bus entitled Sarah’s "Got Art?" Bus to
the Museum in loving memory of their daughter,
Sarah, who imagined bringing art to underserved
city children. After redesigning and renaming
the bus “Museum On the Go!”, Bronx
Children’s Museum has operated for more than seven
years “without walls” with this bus as its heart and
soul. The bus has traveled to
schools, parks, festivals, shelters, hospitals and
community events throughout the borough. Kerry
Leddy Malawista,
Ph.D., is a psychoanalyst and writer. Alan Heilbron is
a retired businessman and entrepreneur. Together
they have raised four children, Sarah, David, Anna
and Peter, in Potomac, Maryland.
Hope Harley,
President of the Bronx Children’s Museum Board of
Directors, presented an Award to Chazz Palminteri.
His show, A Bronx Tale, now on Broadway, is
adapted from the 1993 film of the same name, which
was in turn adapted from his groundbreaking,
autobiographical one-man show. Palminteri has
more than 50 movies to his credit, and is a member
of the Actors Studio in NYC. “Kids need a place to
help them follow their dreams,” says Chazz Palminteri.
“So every time you give money to a great cause like
the Bronx Children’s Museum, you’re not just helping
a child, you’re helping a universe. It’s a ripple
effect.”
Also in attendance at the event were Linda
Celeste Sims, who grew up in the Bronx, and Glenn
Allen Sim of the Alvin Ailey American Dance
Theater.
The Gala was sponsored by GetMyBoat, Richard
and Iris Abrons,
the Lostand Foundation,
Lois and Arthur Stainman,
The Boston Consulting Group, Gotham Stadium Tennis
Center, Alice Gottesman, Kimelman &
Baird LLC, The Perry Foundation, and
Type A Projects/BronxPoint/L-M
Development Partners.
The Auction prizes were provided
by: ABC/Disney, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Bronx Beer
Hall, Amanda Collado, Rafael Collado, GetMyBoat,
Sunny Hostin, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Samuel
Lopez, Kerry Malawista and
Alan Heilbron, The Medina Group, Susan Mills
Birnbaum, New York Botanical Garden, Gianna and Chazz Palminteri, Ocho Platos,
Paul Ramirez, The Roots, Shondaland, SusanSez NYC
Walkabouts, The Tonight Show starring Jimmy
Fallon, Upright Citizens Brigade, The View, and
Kerry Washington.
Founded in 2005, the Museum currently
serves almost 16,000 Bronx residents, primarily
children, annually through innovative mobile
programming and in-school, after-school and summer
programming at 70 sites. Construction of the Bronx
Children’s Museum building will be completed by
Spring 2019, and doors will open by early
2020! When the museum “with and without” walls
opens, the number of people served will increase by
60,000 with a total of about 75,000 visitors
annually.
Bronx Children’s Museum seeks to
inspire children from infancy to nine years of age
and their families/caregivers to learn about
themselves within the diversity and richness of
their surroundings and the world beyond and to
become caregivers of the planet. Construction on
the Museum’s facility, which will provide Bronx
children with an interactive place to learn and
play, is underway on the Museum facility under the
auspices of the NYC Departments of Design &
Construction and Parks & Recreation through a
private public partnership. The renovation of
13,000 square feet of a NYC Parks-owned former
powerhouse is taking place steps away from Yankee
Stadium in the South Bronx. Once opened, children
will experience interactive exhibits and
multi-cultural programming. Museum outreach
programming will continue after the building
opening.
To date, the Museum has secured $11
million in New York City funding and $4 million from
the State Assembly for bricks-and-mortar funding to
develop and open the facility. It has an interactive
exhibit activity budget of $4 million. Approximately
$1.75 million remains to be raised for the exhibits,
Furniture Fixtures and Equipment, and an
opening/reserve fund. In total, the Museum has
approximately 94% of the funds and in-kind support
to open its doors.
Bronx Children’s Museum is one of a
few cultural institutions in the Bronx geared toward
families with children, especially those who cannot
afford—or would not normally visit—a museum. Watch
the video shown
to all gala attendees. For
more information, please visit www.bronxchildrensmuseum.org.
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