Last week Jessica and Jerry Seinfeld hosted New York City’s biggest family charity event, Good+ Foundation’s 2016 Bash at Victorian Gardens at Wollman Rink in Central Park.
VIP guests included Anthony Anderson, Stacey Bendet, Georgina Bloomberg, Dr. Samantha Boardman, Nacho Figueras and Delfina Blaquier, Willie Geist, Gabriela Hearst, Margaret Hoover and John Avlon, Anika Larsen, Jenna Ortega, Daphne Oz, Gabrielle Ruiz and Philip Pisanchyn, Lauren Santo Domingo, and Ali Wentworth
Annie Taube, Lily Band, Jordana Blitz, Rachel Blumenthal, Jennifer Carlston, Wendy Cherwin, Samantha Cohen, Danielle Devine, Lauren Fixel, Jessica Karp, Marissa Kraxberger, Florinka Pesenti, Gregg Renfrew, and Gillian Hearst Simonds helmed the Host Comittee.
Founded by Jessica Seinfeld in 2001, GOOD+ Foundation (formerly known as Baby Buggy) takes a hands-on, child-focused approach to reducing generation-to-generation poverty. By connecting donations of items and clothing for children from infants to 14 years of age, and actively involving parents in anti-poverty programs, GOOD+ Foundation coordinates the long-term support needed for families to break out of poverty. The Foundation selects anti-poverty programs with great track records and partners with them to help incentivize parents to meet goals like finishing school, improving a credit score, or acquiring a license to be a home daycare provider.
“The support from our sponsors and friends for this event is actually life-changing because it funds our work to build stronger families,” said GOOD+ Foundation Founder Jessica Seinfeld. “We know the key to childhood poverty is helping the parents first and the tremendous Bash attendance demonstrates how much people truly care about struggling mothers and fathers, right here in this city.”
As Good + Foundation points out, more than 16 million children in the United States, nearly 22% of all children, live in families with household incomes below the federal poverty level – $23,550 a year for a family of four. While government programs (such as food stamps and WIC) help provide food to families in need, many families still struggle to afford the essential items such as, car seats, cribs and clothing, that are necessary to keep a child safe and healthy.
This year’s family-themed carnival featured rides, face painting, costumed characters and curated kid-friendly activities. The evening raised more than $600,000 – a record for the event. To date GOOD+ Foundation has provided nearly 20 million items to more than 100 anti-poverty programs in 15 markets. For more information about the charity, go to: goodplusfoundation.org
