Cocktails for a Cause: Westhab Junior Board Raises Over $50,000 at 1st Annual NYC Fundraiser

This November, the Westhab Junior Board hosted its first cocktail event at NYC’s City Winery to benefit Westhab. Over 100 attendees gathered to enjoy the city views and support the Westhab mission. The evening was an incredible success, raising over $50,000 for housing and supportive programming at Westhab!

The Junior Board held its first meeting in April of 2023, but some members, like Nicholas Celestin, have been Westhab supporters for some time. Nicholas shared, “I have been involved with Westhab for a few years through the partnership with New York Life, Impact Council, and Drinks for Dayspring events. It has been inspiring to see how much the organization has grown over the past few years and to see a Westhab community start to form in NYC. It’s all been incredibly rewarding to be part of this event and to work with this talented Junior Board who is so passionate about contributing to the important work Westhab is doing!”

The group of young professionals has already begun making an impact at Westshab. In addition to this fundraiser, the group has hosted several events for the 200 families at Westhab’s Hudson Family Residence, including a financial planning session, Halloween Party, and a professional clothing drive.

Junior Board Member Gianna DiGiovanni shared what appealed to her about joining the Junior Board, “The significance of volunteering has been instilled in me since I was young, but in a large city like NYC, it sometimes feels impossible to make an impact. Being on the Westhab Junior Board allows me and my fellow members to contribute our time, skills, and efforts towards a cause that we all care about. I hope more young people realize how instrumental they can be in creating a more interconnected, compassionate, and supportive society.”

Westhab is incredibly grateful to everyone involved in making this event such a grand success including our Gold Sponsors SKF Development and Valley Bank; Bronze Sponsors All Renovation Construction and DK Construction; and our VIP Sponsors MEGA, Partner, and Petrocelli Financial Services LLC.

If you are interested in learning more about how you can get involved with the Westhab Junior Board, please contact Nicolette Kavana, Development Officer, nicolette.kavana@westhab.org.

Cheers to the Junior Board and all of our supporters in NYC!

Westhab Junior Board Members

Connor Brophy

Nicholas Celestin

Erica Cipollina

Gianna DiGiovanni

Julia Giacomazzi

Marcel Grangien

Hollin Hanau

Lindsay Head

Allie Ladley

Sebastian Levy