On October 16, hundreds of supporters, partners, and alumni filled the Ziegfeld Ballroom in Midtown Manhattan for the 15th annual Children’s Aid Benefit. The evening was a celebration of the agency’s remarkable youth, dedicated staff, and generous community of supporters who make its mission possible.
This year’s Benefit honored a longtime partner and steadfast supporter, The Cleveland H. Dodge Foundation. For nearly a century, the Foundation’s partnership has helped Children’s Aid expand early childhood programs, strengthen families, and equip young people to thrive in school and in life. Together, this enduring relationship has shaped brighter futures for generations of New Yorkers. The event raised more than $2.2 million for Children’s Aid programs – the highest in the event’s history.
“Children’s Aid was born from the idea that when a dire need emerges, New Yorkers step up. That’s who we are. That’s what we do,” said President and CEO Phoebe C. Boyer said during her remarks. “For more than 170 years, Children’s Aid has been addressing childhood poverty by taking bold steps to meet the changing needs of families in New York City.”
Guests were moved by powerful stories from Children’s Aid alumni Brian Polanco, Primo Lasana, and Judy Edwards, who reflected on how the organization shaped their lives and helped them give back to their communities.
Youth co-hosts Kamara Fields and Carlos Perez brought energy and heart to the evening, sharing how Children’s Aid programs and mentors helped them build confidence, overcome challenges, and prepare for life after high school.
"Children’s Aid made sure I had what I needed — food, clothes, school supplies — and opportunities,” Kamara said. “Through them, I joined programs where I learned leadership, created art, gave back to my community, and discovered that I have so much to offer.”
This year’s Benefit theme, “Always, in all ways,” captured how Children’s Aid helps young people navigate life’s unexpected turns, overcome roadblocks, and find their way forward. The venue was transformed into a vibrant New York City–inspired transportation system, complete with subway-style maps showcasing Children’s Aid sites across the boroughs.
The evening’s keynote speaker, Fanta Fofana, delivered one of the most emotional moments of the night. She shared how Children’s Aid changed the course of her son’s life after their family emigrated from Sierra Leone to the Bronx. For years, Fanta worked tirelessly to reunite her family in the United States. When it came time for her son, who attended a Children’s Aid community school, to apply to college, she worried about how to pay tuition — until Children’s Aid stepped in.
“At first, I didn’t believe him – because he likes to tease me. But when I saw it was real, my body felt hot and cold at the same time. I cried and cried,” she said. “Children’s Aid paid his tuition and dormitory costs. They gave him a laptop. And they even sent a coach bus to take us to Clarkson and help move him in. Now Tamba is a freshman studying engineering management and playing soccer. My dreams for him are happening.”
We are incredibly grateful to our benefit committee and to our committee chairs for their hard work and leadership. The Benefit Committee chairs were: Beth and Ira Leventhal; Eren Rosenfeld and Jack Dunne; and Suzanne Waltman and Martin Friedman.
The 2025 Benefit was sponsored at the Ambassador level by The Cleveland H. Dodge Foundation; and Coleman Family Ventures; at the Champion level by Leslie and Ashish Bhutani; and Mark Gallogly and Lise Strickler; and at the Hero level by; Beth and Ira Leventhal; Melkus Family Foundation; Jill and Brian Olson; Eren Rosenfeld and Jack Dunne; Lauren Razook Roth and John Roth; Suzanne Waltman and Martin Friedman.
Photographs from the 2025 Children’s Aid Benefit are available here.
