Society Stars: Children of the City Gala

David and Leilah Tyree, Cheryl Rogers with Jesse Tyree


Selita Ebanks and Steve Schirripa


Thomas Gilmartin, David Tyree and Yvonne Riley-Tepie


Selita Ebanks, Chris Gay, Duncan Olde, Katie Walters, Miguel Avalos and Harold Palacios

The Children of the City Gala was held in New York at the Tribeca Rooftop last week. The Gala's 27th anniversary brought out philanthropists, athletes, models and corporate bigwigs. The organization's annual gala honored New York Giant, David Tyree with the Children's Champion Award this year. Sopranos star Steve Schirripa served as the Master of Ceremonies, and New Jersey Nets star Richard Jefferson was a guest of honor. Victoria's Secret model Selita Ebanks and COC Founder/Executive Director, Joyce Mattera were among the presenters.

Guests enjoyed dinner and entertainment in support of a worthy cause. Notable patrons like COC Board of Director Rocco Basile and Yvonne Riley-Tepie, assistant VP of Marketing for Commerce Bank in Brooklyn and Queens, were in attendance.

Children of the City is a community based organization that has been serving disadvantaged children since 1982. Its mission is to reach at risk inner city children with hope, guidance and resources to positively affect their lives and communities, breaking the cycle of poverty and its effects. Children of the City's outreach provides disadvantaged children with prevention programs, crisis intervention, educational support and healthy activities through small groups and large gatherings of children that continually produce tremendous documented progress and results. It currently reaches over 2,000 children and youth in Sunset Park each year, serves 900 children monthly through home visits from volunteers and counselors and provides daily academic support to those at risk of educational failure.