Hundreds of New York’s
most powerful and
influential women from
the worlds of business,
media, government,
publishing and the arts
gathered at the Rainbow
Room for the
Citymeals-on-Wheels
22nd annual
“Power Lunch for
Women.” Emceed by
Diana L. Taylor,
Managing Director
of
Wolfensohn & Company,
the annual benefit
honored Martha
Stewart, Founder of
Martha Stewart Living
Omnimedia, Inc. and
Lynda Resnick, FIJI
Water/POM Wonderful for
their
long-standing
commitment to Citymeals
and the elderly
population. The event
raised $1.5 million – or
enough money to hand
deliver 235,000 meals
for New York’s frail,
homebound aged.
Marcia Stein, Executive
Director of Citymeals-on-Wheels
said, “Imagine a
Thanksgiving where
dinner consisted of half
an orange, a piece of
bread left over from the
previous day’s lunch and
a cup of tea. Thanks to
the overwhelming
generosity of the power
women here today – in
particular our honorees
Martha Stewart and Lynda
Resnick –17,000 frail
homebound elderly New
Yorkers will be able to
celebrate Thanksgiving
with festive holiday
dinners delivered right
to their doors. The
money we raise today
will bring not just food
but compassionate,
friendly visits, an
important lifeline to
our frail aged
neighbors.”
Among the highlights of
the afternoon was the
surprise announcement of
an “Emergency Challenge
Grant” by Joan H. Tisch,
and her three children
Steven, Laurie and
Jonathan in memory
Preston Robert Tisch,
their beloved husband
and father,
(respectively) and
founding Board member,
long-time president, and
generous friend of
Citymeals-on-Wheels.
Moved by recent reports
of fiscal hardship at
Citymeals, Laurie Tisch
rallied the family to
issue the following
challenge: starting
today, for every dollar
donated to Citymeals,
they will match the
amount, dollar for
dollar, up to
$100,000.00. When
matched, the donation
will fund over 30,000
home delivered meals.
Ms. Stein noted, “Three
years ago, Citymeals
lost a great leader and
a dear friend when Bob
Tisch passed away. His
philanthropic legacy
lives on through his
wonderful and generous
family. We are forever
grateful to Joan,
Steven, Laurie and
Jonathan Tisch.”
In attendance at this
year’s Power Lunch for
Women were Cindy Adams;
Christine Baranski;
Susan Blumenthal;
Mary Higgins
Clark; Carmen
Dell’Orefice; Michele
Oka Doner;
Beth Dozoretz;
Patricia Duff;
Nora Ephron; Dasha
Epstein; Joni Evans;
Florence Fabricant;
Linda Fairstein;
Geraldine Ferraro;
Stephanie French; Betsy
Gotbaum; Susan Zises
Green; Gael Greene;
Jamee Gregory; Donna
Hanover; Joan Helpern;
Caroline Hirsch; Jenny
Holzer; Erica Jong;
Adrienne Landau; Evelyn
Lauder; Alexandra
Lebenthal; Cynthia Leive;
Stephanie March;
Julianna Margulies;
Bernadette Peters; Ruth
Reichl; Denise Rich;
Judith Ripka; Deborah
Roberts; Samantha
Boardman Rosen; Liz
Smith; Gloria Steinem;
Kathleen Turner; Lillian
Vernon; Silda Wall;
Patricia Wexler; Paula
Zahn and others.
The afternoon also
featured a very special
performance by vocalist
Andrea Marcovicci and
her 90 year-old mother,
Helen,
who sang “Autumn
Leaves,” “I’ll be Seeing
You,” “I’m Glad I’m Not
Young Anymore,” and
“Russian Lullaby.” The
performance was
accompanied by a
touching video featuring
Citymeals’ recipients.
For a ticket price of
$10,000 male attendees
had the privilege of
choosing which powerful
and famous woman would
be their lunch partner.
Among this year’s “10K
Men” were
Michael
Batterberry, Albert
Behler, Andrew Borrok,
Joseph Cohen, Bill
Fischer, Bobby Flay,
Peter Glazier, Robert
Grimes, Michael Lynne,
Michael Norris, Craig
Pfeiffer, John Pomerantz,
Dennis Riese, Lee
Schrager, John Shapiro,
Donald Tober and Steven
Zavagli.
One hundred percent of
the money raised from
ticket sales at Power
Lunch, and all Citymeals’
events, goes to the
preparation and delivery
of nutritious meals to
homebound elderly in the
five boroughs of New
York City.
This year’s Power Lunch
was hosted by the
Cipriani Family and the
Rainbow Room.
Official sponsors of
Citymeals-on-Wheels
included American
Airlines; FIJI Water;
MasterCard; and
Nespresso. Event
sponsors include POM
Wonderful; Martha
Stewart Living Omnimedia,
Inc.; Bloomingdales;
Bobbi Brown; Bernardaud;
Chadick Ellig; La
Prairie; Taittinger;
Teleflora Travelers and
W.J. Deutsch &
Sons/Georges Deboeuf.
# # #
ABOUT CITYMEALS-ON-WHEELS:
Founded in 1981,
Citymeals-on-Wheels is a
not-for-profit
organization and
public-private
partnership with the New
York City Department for
the Aging that raises
private funds to prepare
and deliver weekend,
holiday and emergency
meals to the homebound
elderly throughout the
boroughs of New York
City. Last year,
Citymeals underwrote the
preparation and delivery
of 2.2 million meals to
18,000 aged New
Yorkers.
One hundred percent of
donations from the
public to Citymeals
goes toward
the preparation and
delivery of meals for
homebound elderly. For
more information, visit
www.citymeals.org