ROR GNY will host its annual benefit on Thursday, October 12, 2023 at the Edison Ballroom in New York City. The ROR GNY Benefit is the largest annual event to raise funds to further the organization’s mission to incorporate books and early literacy guidance into pediatric care for young New Yorkers. Attendees will enjoy dinner, drinks, and music while honoring awardees and creating a better future for the next generation of readers.
Honorees
The Reach Out and Read of Greater New York leadership, staff, and Board of Directors are thrilled to honor longtime supporter, champion, Board member, and friend Gary Tannenbaum. Gary has been an outstanding and generous supporter of ROR GNY’s mission since 2004. He and his wife, Helen Mills, have graciously shown their commitment to promoting a lifelong love of reading in children by sponsoring the Mills Tannenbaum Award for Children’s Literacy since 2013.
This year’s Mills Tannenbaum Award for Children’s Literacy recipient is author Brian Amador. Brian is a guitarist, composer, songwriter, singer and voice actor originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico and now residing in the Boston area. Brian has written countless songs for adults and children of all ages – in Spanish, English and both languages combined. He is the author of the singalong picture book Twice as Many Friends and wrote the music for the singalong Boogie in the Bronx! Brian embodies the values of this award through diversity, inclusion, and the power of books to unite and inspire children of all ages and backgrounds!
Brian’s wonderful books are published by Barefoot Books, a critical partner in ROR GNY’s Book Buddies initiative and this year’s exclusive Publishing Sponsor! Through our Book Buddies program, our collective buying model brings books with fair market value of $7-$10 (sometimes up to $15), down to $2/book or less, inclusive of shipping. Imagine how that multiplies access across our communities! Through the power of this unique collaborative buying coalition, we partner with key publishers like Barefoot Books and fellow peer literacy organizations to supply over 400K books to children in the NY area, covering diverse themes and titles for newborns through 5 years old. In addition to bi-lingual titles, the range of themes across the books covers diversity, early STEM concepts, community ties, and celebrations.
We are also so pleased to honor the following medical professionals in the healthcare community for their commitment to our families and our mission. Each honoree will be presented with their award at the Annual Benefit.
New Champion Coordinator Award – Yuly Munoz, New York Presbyterian Hospital
Health Equity Advocate Award – Denis Traore, MD, Jack D. Weiler Hospital, Children’s Hospital at Montefiore
Jack Pace, Living, Breathing ROR GNY Award – Regine Walton, LPN, Mount Sinai South Nassau Family Medicine
Whole Family Advocate Award – Care for the Homeless (CFH) Junius Street Health Center
Advocate for Diverse Books Award – Kelechi Ngwangwa, MD, Joseph P. Addabbo Family Health Center, Inc.
Trusted Messenger Award – Mariely Fernandez, MD, Center for Comprehensive Health Practice
Sponsors
Together, we can bring the gift of reading and early literacy to more children and families across Greater New York.
Details
Thursday, October 12, 2023
6:00 P.M. until 9:00 P.M ET.
Edison Ballroom | 240 West 47th Street, NYC 10036
Cocktails, Dinner, Awards Ceremony, and Auction