The theme of this year's Annual Benefit for Kids was Building a Brighter Future, and building is exactly what we’ve been doing. Over the past year, added and developed staff, teaching artists, and board members. We’ve built relationships with new partners and enhanced relationships with existing partners, and this, in turn, has allowed us to serve more NYC youth in more underserved communities. None of this would be possible without the generosity of our sponsors and donors.

*Center: 2012 CAW Honoree* ***Paul Amrich*** *of CBRE speaks with 2019 Honoree* ***John Maher*** *of CBRE*

The event is a chance to thank all the people who make our work possible. And so it was that on Thursday, April 27th, the CAW team welcomed over 425 supporters, partners, students, and Youth Apprentices to 1301 Avenue of the Americas for drinks, hors d'oeuvres, and a chance to mingle with friends, old and new. It was a convivial evening with live jazz, a signature cocktail, two collaborative art-making projects, and a stunning pop-up gallery of 300 works of youth-created art.

It is our hope that this newsletter will capture the joyful camaraderie of our Annual Benefit for Kids. This year, we broke records for attendance and fundraising and everybody had a wonderful time.

Our heartfelt thanks to all of our sponsors and donors who contributed over $950,000 to make our benefit such a success! This critical funding will allow CAW to bring vital arts programs to thousands of NYC youth in the coming year.

From left: CAW President **Brian Ricklin**, CAW Chair **Andy Levin**, Honoree **Peter Brindley** of Paramount Group, CAW Executive Vice President **Karen Jolicoeur,** Honoree **Scott Corneby** of Structure Tone, Honoree **Gary LaBarbera** of The Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York.

We are grateful to our wonderful honorees: Peter Brindley, Executive Vice President – Head of Real Estate, Paramount Group; Scott Corneby, Executive Vice President, Structure Tone; and Gary LaBarbera, President, Building & Construction Trades Council of Greater New York. Thanks also to our Host Committee for their tireless fundraising efforts.

We were delighted that longtime supporter Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine took time out of his busy schedule to visit during our early reception for Premier and Diamond Sponsors to kick off the evening with some inspiring words of support.

We want to offer a big shout out to our CAW staff and our Teaching Artists who worked tirelessly to make this event a reality. Thanks also to the many students and Youth Apprentices who served as docents to their inspiring art during the event.

We invite you to check out the photo galleries and videos to get a taste of the evening, or just keep reading to learn more…

Look at what we built together!

Event Photos

Find yourself in our photo album featuring hundreds of great shots!

Youth Gallery

Marvel at 300 soaring works of youth-created art in our pop-up art gallery!

Wrap-up Video

Relive the experience! Watch the Benefit wrap-up video!

Year-in-Review

See what your contributions make possible in the CAW year-in-review video!

**Read our Benefit Journal!**

The 2023 Benefit Journal serves as our annual report throughout the year. Learn about our impact and recent accomplishments, partners, honorees, and our generous sponsors. Read a digital copy of the journal on ISSUU.

Kudos!

Honoring the artists who inspired our benefit theme!

"These watercolors of city skylines evoked everything we were hoping to share with our guests tonight. They are full of youthful perspective and hope and a sense of emerging. We want to thank our young PS/MS 278 artists Derek and Angelina for inspiring us with their creativity and vibrant vision of NYC."
– Karen Jolicoeur, Executive Director, Creative Art Works

2023 Honoree Gary LaBarbera

"Our most cherished commodity is our youth. That's why Creative Art Works is so important given that arts and culture are slipping away in our education system. When you look at all the creative artwork in this room, you realize the capacity that young people have. CAW cultivates that capacity, and it actually changes and shapes lives."
– Gary LaBarbera, President, The Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York

2023 Honoree Scott Corneby

"Throughout my 25-year journey with Creative Art Works, I've had numerous opportunities to visit our mural work sites, speaking with Youth Apprentices and getting a chance to absorb the awe, the excitement, and the pride all these young people have because of their involvement with CAW. I'm proud to have been able to contribute in a small way to the success of CAW."
– Scott Corneby, Executive Vice President, Structure Tone

2023 Honoree Peter Brindley

"CAW empowers young people to express themselves through art to and to discover their potential. I have witnessed the good work of CAW and believe in their platform and its unique ability to connect its young artists to their community in new and meaningful ways, which will result in a brighter future for New York City."
– Peter Brindley, Executive Vice President & Head of Real Estate, Paramount

Thanks to our Premier Sponsors

Thanks to our Diamond Sponsor

Thanks to Our Host Committee

Special Thanks

This benefit event, and the programs it provides for, would not be possible without the generously discounted and contributed goods and services provided by these fine people and organizations: