WABC-TV's Kemberly Richardson & Chuck Nice Co-Host Rising Ground Gala

(Brooklyn, NY) ... On March 9th, Rising Ground held its hugely successful 2023 Annual Gala that raised $700,000 for the nonprofit, which is one of New York's leading human services organizations. Based in Brooklyn, Rising Ground currently operates more than 50 programs at sites all across New York City and in Westchester County, and employs a workforce of nearly 1,600 people. Daily, it provides children, adults, and families with the resources and skills needed to rise above adversity and positively direct their lives.

At the event, which was held at the Metropolitan Club in Manhattan, OPEN Impact Real Estate founders Lindsay Ornstein and Stephen Powers were honored with the “Champion for Children” Award for their work building a culture of giving back in New York. Kemberly Richardson, a multi-Emmy® Award winning journalist for WABC 7 New York co-hosted the evening with Chuck Nice, comedian, actor, TV radio, and podcast host. One of the highlights of the evening was the introduction of the Henry family who told their heartwarming story of becoming foster parents through one of Rising Ground's programs.

Alan Mucatel, Rising Ground's CEO, noted that OPEN Impact Real Estate is receiving the “Champion for Children” Award for its corporate culture that far exceeds the typical ‘good corporate citizen’ model: “Lindsay, Stephen, and their entire team align themselves with clients who want to help improve the communities they develop and invest in. They do this so well because OPEN Impact’s staff is made up of professionals from social work, government, and nonprofit, who all share the common goal of supporting mission-driven organizations looking to make a positive social impact through their work. Today, with skyrocketing mental health challenges across the city and nation, we need more companies like OPEN Impact to step up and help.”

Ornstein and Powers shared that "Rising Ground helps solve many of life’s challenges for people who don’t have a lot of places to turn to for services, yet they do it all and they do it best. We are very humbled to receive the “Champion for Children” Award and recommit ourselves to improving the health and well-being of New York City area children, adults, and families with the resources to find positive paths forward.”

The Rising Ground Annual Gala was held at the historic Metropolitan Club in Manhattan. Proceeds will go directly toward programming to help support early childhood programs, foster care, family stabilization, intimate partner violence prevention, health care, mental health services, juvenile justice, and programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Visit RisingGround.org for more information.

About Rising Ground

Rising Ground daily provides children, adults, and families with the resources and

skills needed to rise above adversity and positively direct their lives. The organization, based in downtown Brooklyn, won the prestigious New York Community Trust Nonprofit Excellence Award in 2014.

Founded as an orphanage in 1831, Rising Ground changed its name in 2018 from Leake & Watts. Today, Rising Ground is a leading nonprofit human services organization, currently operating more than 50 programs at sites across all New York City boroughs and Westchester County, and employing a workforce of nearly 1,600 people. It has been at the forefront of supporting evolving community needs and has become a leader in utilizing result-driven, evidence-based practices. Today, the organization’s work is a positive force in the lives of more than 25,000 children, adults, and family members. For more information, visit RisingGround.org.