Downtown Magazine attended The Reach Out and Read Program of Greater New York’s at the annual Cocktail Benefit and Auction hosted by the Today Show’s Hoda Kotb to call much-deserved attention to this worthy cause.
The event, held at beautiful Bridegwaters at the South Street Seaport, honored internationally renowned, best-selling author, James Patterson. Downtown’s CEO and Publisher Grace Capobianco met and interviewed a star-studded guest list that included People StyleWatch Editor, Susan Kaufman, ESPN radio’s Robin Lundberg, Miss Teen USA, Kamie Crawford and Reach Out and Read’s Executive Director, Traci Lester in celebrating Patterson and raising money for a good cause.
Executive Director for Reach Out & Read Traci Lester with CEO and Publisher of Downtown Magazine NYC Grace Capobianco
The event, held at beautiful Bridgwater’s at the South Street Seaport, honored internationally renowned, best-selling author, James Patterson. Downtown’s CEO and Publisher Grace Capobianco joined a star-studded guest list that included People StyleWatch Editor, Susan Kaufman, ESPN radio’s Robin Lundberg, Miss Teen USA, Kamie Crawford and Reach Out and Read’s Executive Director, Traci Lester in celebrating Patterson and raising money for a good cause.
Publisher and CEO of Downtown Magazine NYC Grace Capobianco and Miss Teen USA 2010 Kamie Crawford
The auction included high-end items from Valentino, Burberry, and Prada among many other luxury brands. All of the proceeds went to the program that distributes books to more than a 250,000 kids through the Greater New York Area.
Reach Out and Read prepares American kids to succeed in school by partnering with doctors to prescribe books and encourage families to read together. The program trains doctors and nurses to advise parents about the importance of reading aloud and to give free books to kids at pediatric checkups from 6 months through 5-years-old.
Reach Out and Read of Greater New York represents 180 Reach Out and Read program sites in hospitals and community health centers throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Long island, and seven counties north of the city: Westchester, Sullivan, Ulster, Dutchess, Putnam, Rockland, and Orange. In 2010 reach Out and Read of Greater New York distributed new age and culturally appropriate books to over 282,000 children.
Instant Access: For more information about the Reach Out and Read Program go to: www.reachoutandreadnyc.org
