Birch Family Services Celebrates 44th Annual Spring Gala

On May 9, 2019, we came together at the Prince George Ballroom in Manhattan to celebrate our many achievements over the past year and to help build a meaningful future for the people and families that we support.

 

Group Photo

Robin E. Keller, Birch Board Chair; Jay R. Fialkoff, Esq., and Iris Fishman, Ph.D., Birch Legacy Award recipients; Victor Calise, Commissioner of NYC Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities; Linda Schmidt, Fox 5 News; Jean Rawitt, Secretary, Birch Board of Directors; Matt Sturiale, President & CEO of Birch Family Services

 

“The number of people who turn to Birch for support continues to grow and the need for our services is greater than ever. Through the commitment of partners like tonight’s honorees, donors, families, and other supporters, we are creating opportunities for individuals to be empowered to lead full, vibrant, and productive lives. Together we are building futures.” – Matt Sturiale, President and CEO of Birch Family Services.

Exceeding our wildest expectations, the Birch Family Services 2019 Spring Gala brought together more than 250 guests — Board members, corporate sponsors, philanthropic supporters, Birch families, and community members — to commemorate our successes and to honor individuals whose efforts help strengthen our mission: to empower individuals with autism and developmental disabilities to lead fulfilling lives.

“The number of people who turn to Birch for support continues to grow and the need for our services is greater than ever,” said Matt Sturiale, President and CEO of Birch Family Services. “Through the commitment of partners like tonight’s honorees, donors, families, and other supporters, we are creating opportunities for individuals to be empowered to lead full, vibrant, and productive lives. Together we are building futures.”

During an evening emceed by Fox 5 News’s Emmy Award-winning reporter Linda Schmidt, we recognized individuals whose vision, leadership, and efforts were central to our Gala theme — Empowering People. Building Futures. We heard from Susan and Lance Friedland, the parents of David, one of the first participants in our New Frontier program, which provides adults with autism and developmental disabilities with vocational preparation, job acquisition, and ongoing employer and employee support so they can thrive in both their job search and their chosen careers. With support from New Frontier, Dave is now pursuing a career in photography. In fact, one of his photographs was snatched up in the night’s Silent Auction, alongside one by his mom, Susan, also a fine arts photographer.

We were privileged to present our Birch Legacy Award to Iris Fishman, Ph.D., and Jay R. Fialkoff, Esq., two former Board Members whose contributions honor our past, shape our present, and transform our future by helping to build a foundation for our success. Longtime friends and supporters of Birch Family Services, both Iris and Jay dedicated years of volunteer service to our Board of Directors, and their advocacy for people with disabilities, and their financial support, continues to influence who we are today.

“It is an honor to be recognized by Birch Family Services, whose work is so important to children and adults with disabilities who must be empowered to become independent members of our society. Serving on the board of this organization has been a privilege.” –  said Iris Fishman, former Birch Board Member and Director, Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic, Dept. of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, NYU Steinhardt.

“It is an honor to be recognized by Birch Family Services, whose work is so important to children and adults with disabilities who must be empowered to become independent members of our society,” said Dr. Fishman, Director, Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic, Dept. of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, NYU Steinhardt. “Serving on the board of this organization has been a privilege.”

We also recognized Commissioner Victor Calise and the NYC Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) with our Voices of Hope Award, which is given to individuals whose actions help to empower children, adolescents, adults, and families living with autism and developmental disabilities. Under Commissioner Calise’s leadership, MOPD consistently ensures that the rights and concerns of the disability community are included in all City initiatives and that City programs and policies address the needs of people with disabilities.

Commissioner Calise has had an impact on engaging corporate partners to ensure that individuals with autism and developmental disabilities have opportunities in the workplace. While accepting the award, he recognized Birch’s critical work in this area and stressed that more needs to be done across all sectors to promote and expand diversity and disability inclusion in the workplace.

“Birch Family Services is a leader in providing services to New Yorkers with autism and developmental disabilities. It was a pleasure to attend their Gala to celebrate all of their important work and MOPD looks forward to continuing to support their mission to empower individuals with disabilities to live independent and fulfilling lives.” – Commissioner Victor Calise, NYC Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities.

 “Birch Family Services is a leader in providing services to New Yorkers with autism and developmental disabilities,” said Commissioner Victor Calise. “It was a pleasure to attend their Gala to celebrate all of their important work and MOPD looks forward to continuing to support their mission to empower individuals with disabilities to live independent and fulfilling lives.”

To call this past year “transformational” for Birch would be an understatement. With the support and guidance of our Board of Directors, we recently completed a strategic planning process that included an updated mission statement that better reflects who we are and what we do, as well as the launch of our new website — Birchfamilyservices.org — to proactively engage with all our constituents..

Since 1975, Birch Family Services has been committed to providing quality education and person-centered services for individuals with autism and developmental disabilities. Every day, Birch supports more than 2,000 individuals and their families in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. Each year, more and more families turn to us for assistance. Thanks to our supporters, we can continue to provide critical programs and services to children and adults with autism and developmental disabilities, and make a lasting impact on their lives.

“The Birch Gala on May 9, 2019 was an evening of celebration of Birch’s mission and the people who make it possible,” said Robin E. Keller, Chair of the Birch Family Services Board of Directors.  “Staff, parents, consumers, board members, funders, New Frontier members and new and old friends joined together to talk, laugh, and learn.  The evening captured the spirit of positivity and hope we embrace in all our programs. Thanks to all of our supporters for being there.”