Wednesday night in New York City was one charity fun-filled evening. Taking place at Hudson Terrace, the International Rett Syndrome Foundation (IRSF) held their first annual Reach for the Stars benefit to help fund research for Rett Syndrome, which is a developmental brain disorder most commonly found in girls. The special evening featured a cocktail reception with Grey Goose vodka, Alacran Tequila and Forever Young Wines, along with cupcakes from Baked by Melissa. World renowned DJ Hesta Prynn had party-goers dancing at the event and all guests left with party favors from Popcorn Indiana. Lisa and Sean Lebson, co-chairs of the event, honored Deborah and Noah Katz, Laura and Daniel Katz, along with their three daughters, who scaled Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for IRSF. Additionally, there was a special musical performance by Randy Levine and a great speech from Rett Syndrome specialist Dr. Aleksandra Djukic, who read a letter from one of her patients. The evening ended with a live auction MCed by historian and TV personality Elyse Luray.
But that’s not the only charity event that took place on Wednesday evening. Wednesday night also played host to the National Urban Technology Center‘s 18th annual gala at Capitale. The evening was emceed by Maurice DuBoise and Alicia Quarles, with award presentations by Star Jones to Judy Smith and Hill Harper to Luis A. Ubinas. Additional honorees included Valentino D. Carlotti and Dr. Marva Gumbs-Picou. The star-studded event welcomed famous faces such as Deborah Cox, Adaora, Ariel Meredith, Wakeema Hollis, Sharon Carpenter and Amanda Seales. Attendees enjoyed a special performance by Vy Higginsen’s Gospel Choir for Teens and music by DJ Mel DeBarge. The evening included an amazing silent auction during the cocktail hour, followed by a live auction by Audrey Smaltz, which raised over $58,000 to go towards Urban Tech’s educational programs.
Bottom line: there’s no place that does a charity gala like NYC.
