On
June 2, 2009, 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.
