Leading NYC Architects and Designers Say "We Care" to Hundreds of Harlem Children

December 5, 2007

Designers Help Children Make Needed Holiday Gifts to Give to Families and Friends

Contacts:
Ellen Lubell, The Children’s Aid Society – (w) 212-949-4938, (c) 917-854-6864
Emily Crossan, The Children’s Aid Society – (w) 917-286-1548, (c) 201-344-5742
Sabrina Thompson, Herman Miller – (w) 212-318-3917

When:
Friday, December 7, 2007
3:00 – 5:30 p.m.

Where:
The Children’s Aid Society
Dunlevy Milbank Center
14 - 32 West 118th Street (between Fifth and Lenox Avenues), New York City

What:
Approximately 450 preschool and early school-aged children from The Children’s Aid Society’s Dunlevy Milbank Center, Dunlevy Milbank Day Care, East Harlem Center and Taft Day Care in Harlem and East Harlem, who may not otherwise have gifts to give to their families, will create an array of unique and lovely handmade crafts, aided by top New York City architects, interior design firms and Herman Miller, Inc. Two-hundred-fifty volunteers will transform the gym at The Children’s Aid Society’s Dunlevy Milbank Center into Santa’s workshop, where the children will act as gift-making elves.

At individual “craft stations,” the children will make gifts such as ornaments, magnets, jewelry, snow globes, puppets and bookmarks. As a finishing touch, professionals will also help the children wrap the gifts so they are ready to give. In addition, music, face painting, and, of course, Santa, will add to the fun.

Who:
Now in its eleventh year, We Care is organized by prominent office furniture manufacturers Herman Miller, Inc. and Geiger, along with some two dozen of America’s leading interior design firms. This event is part of an annual, national program and dozens of Boys and Girls Clubs across the country will participate, including The Children’s Aid Society in New York. Design professionals donate their time, expertise and materials, as well as decorations and refreshments, for the event. Sponsors include Events and Everyday Catering, Corporate Essentials, Wonton Food, Bloomingdale’s and CORT.

The Children’s Aid Society was founded in 1853. It is one of the nation’s largest and most innovative non-sectarian agencies, serving over 150,000 of New York’s neediest children and their families with a network of services that includes community schools, neighborhood centers, camps, adoption and foster care services, teen pregnancy prevention, education, health and recreation. For additional information, please call 212-949-4938 or visit www.childrensaidsociety.org.

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