Dear Friend,

We hope this finds you safe and well.

As you know, we have been planning to gather in person on September 29th for Graham’s biggest night of the year, our annual gala benefit. However, given that we cannot be assured how safe everyone will be or feel in a gala setting come fall, we have decided to produce a brief and exciting virtual event instead. The live program—less than an hour—will celebrate the work of Graham and all those who make it possible, from frontline essential workers to behind-the-scene miracle workers, and our caring partners and patrons including you.

We hope you’ll join us for the festivities as we thank and celebrate our 2020 Honorees Jennifer and D. Scott Mackesy, Ali and Joe Torre, and the Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation.

The virtual nature of the event means that 100% of your gift will go directly towards Graham’s programs that provide 4,000+ New York City children, youth, and families in our care with the foundation they need to thrive in life.

To those of you who have already supported our gala benefit - THANK YOU. We are thrilled to announce that to date, we have raised $1.6M towards our goal of $2M. If you haven't yet supported our benefit, please contact Mayra Pacheco at 646-759-5760 or [email protected]. If you prefer to make your gift online, visit our secure page. See below for all the various ways your gift makes a huge impact on the Graham community.

Closer to the date, we will provide gala patrons with access information to our celebration on September 29th. In the meantime, we will be in touch this summer with news about other Graham happenings, from graduation and summer camps to college acceptances and job training programs. Until then, thank you for all that you do for and give to Graham.

With kindest regards,

$200,000 Visionary - Your visionary gift fuels Graham’s innovation that leads to new best practices in the field of child welfare, spanning foster care, adoption, and training programs for children, youth, and parents to ensure their safety and well-being. Visionary support has enabled Graham to pioneer trailblazing programs, such as Graham SLAM, which provides young adults aging out of care with coaches to help them achieve their educational and career goals. We share our successful methods with child welfare agencies throughout the city.

$100,000 Leader - Your leader gift helps Graham to support foster parents and birth parents in managing and overseeing the medical, mental health, behavioral health, dental, and specialty needs and referrals of their children. Thank you for supporting the overall health and well-being of 4,000+ children, youth, and families in Graham’s care.

$50,000 Champion - Your gift champions young adults in their pursuit of a working wage career. Our employment readiness program teaches young people how to seek and apply for a job, conduct themselves in interviews, communicate effectively, and bring discipline and focus to their work performance, day in and day out. Thank you for supporting their ability to achieve and sustain their independence.

$25,000 Hero - Hero gifts make educational enrichment programs possible at Graham’s Beacon programs in Central Harlem, West Harlem, and the South Bronx. Proceeds from this benefit help to provide a safe and academically enriching environment for elementary and middle-school children. Thanks to your support, they will receive tutoring in math, science, English, and enjoy extra-curricular activities from art, drama, and youth councils to reading clubs, computer classes, and sports.

$15,000 Mentor - Mentor gifts support Preventive Services that help families keep children safe while addressing underlying conditions that can lead to child abuse or neglect, such as parental depression, family stress, substance use, or domestic violence. Thanks to your generosity, Graham can help parents develop a more active, consistent, and productive role in their child’s educational and social development. This helps to keep children safe and families together.

$10,000 Role Model - We all need role models growing up. Graham kids find caring and attentive role models at our summer day camps that constructively engage children and teens all summer long. Your support of our benefit also funds the creation of summer jobs for our young adults who are trained and managed by a caring team of Graham coaches and mentors.

$5,000 Guardian - Your guardian gift makes possible education and support groups for new parents, including Parenting Journey, Baby and Me, and Passport to Parenting. These groups help to ensure that pregnant youth and new parents are prepared to provide nurturing care for themselves and their children. Graham’s continuum of services helps parents develop lasting behavior change in order to safely and lovingly raise a family.

Friend $2,500 - Be a friend to the Bengals, Graham’s young leaders. Our leadership training program teaches teens and young adults how to step out of their comfort zone, nurture healthy relationships, communicate positively, and collaborate with peers on problem-solving skills. The leadership skills and behavioral patterns that the Bengals acquire empower them to thrive in college, on the job, and in life-at-large.

Supporters $1,000 - Your support will provide Graham students with coaches to help them stay the course and complete high school, select an appropriate college, internship, or vocational training program, apply for admissions and financial aid, and find their way to graduation. Thank you for ensuring that Graham kids achieve their academic potential.