Over $1.5 Million Raised at The Doe Fund's 16th Annual Gala

NEW YORK, Nov. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- George T. McDonald, The Doe Fund's Founder & President, announced that the organization raised more than $1.5 million at its 16th annual fundraising gala, held Thursday, October 27th at Cipriani 42nd Street.

The theme of this year's Gala, "Generation Blue," focused attention on the recent surge of young participants (ages 18-26) in The Doe Fund's flagship Ready, Willing & Able program. Born into the volatile crack epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s, most of these individuals were removed from their homes and placed in foster care as children, from which they "aged out" with nowhere to go.  After landing in the city's homeless shelter system as young adults, they sought out Ready, Willing & Able in search of the program's paid work, career development, and job placement opportunities.

In attendance at the Gala were hundreds of business, real estate, entertainment and government leaders who support The Doe Fund and Ready, Willing & Able.  Richard Schaps, CEO of Van Wagner Communications and Chairman of The Doe Fund Board, welcomed the assembled guests and introduced acclaimed restaurateur and Grand Champion of the Food Network's "Chopped," Chef Madison Cowan.  Cowan recounted his own history of homelessness, asking the young men of "Generation Blue" to stand as he praised them for their hard work and encouraged them to continue challenging themselves.

Golden Globe Winner, Academy Award nominee and two-time Tony Award nominee Kathleen Turner recalled that she was prompted to learn more about The Doe Fund after seeing the "men in blue" of Ready, Willing & Able, whom she called an iconic image of New York, working hard in her own neighborhood each day.  Turner also "flipped the switch" on Friday, October 28th at a ceremony at the famed Empire State Building, which was lit in blue through the weekend in honor of The Doe Fund.

Harriet Karr McDonald, The Doe Fund's Executive Vice President, introduced three young men of "Generation Blue," who shared accounts of their inspirational journeys from harrowing childhoods.  Damian Stapleton echoed the stories of many others when he said, "I'm one of the lucky ones.  I found my way to Ready, Willing & Able, and my life was transformed…or as they would say here, I transformed my life myself."

Also attending the event were former New York City Mayor David Dinkins, two-time Academy Award nominee Ethan Hawke, Fox Business host John Stossel, fashion icons Steve Madden and Betsey Johnson, and 2011 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition cover model Irina Shayk.

George McDonald ended the evening by inviting Irina Shayk to the stage to draw the winning ticket for the Mercedes-Benz C300 raffle prize, donated by Mercedes-Benz Manhattan.

About The Doe Fund

Headquartered in New York City, The Doe Fund is a $50 million, multi-disciplinary human services agency that helps 1,000 people every day to better their circumstances through programs providing paid work; workforce development and job placement; transitional, supportive, and permanent housing; drug testing and counseling; and comprehensive social and educational services.  All once homeless or incarcerated, the "men in blue" of the organization's flagship program, Ready, Willing & Able, can be seen cleaning 150 miles of New York City streets every day, rain or shine.  This paid transitional work is the first step they take toward self-sufficiency, and they complete Ready, Willing & Able with full-time, permanent employment, apartments of their own, and their sobriety. To learn more, visit www.doe.org.

Contacts:
Lee Alman, The Doe Fund
([email protected] / 646.672.4232)
Kara Grippen, DKC Communications
([email protected] / 212.981.5214)

SOURCE The Doe Fund