No Place Like Home Gala

Community Housing Innovations to Celebrate “No Place Like Home” Gala

April 23 event at Surf Club will recognize housing leaders and celebrate housing success stories

Community Housing Innovations (CHI) will recognize housing leaders and celebrate the resilient housing journeys of individuals and families at its “No Place Like Home” Gala on April 23, 2026.

The event will take place from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM at the Surf Club on the Sound in New Rochelle, NY.

The black-tie evening will be hosted by Lynda Baquero, Emmy Award-winning consumer reporter for WNBC. The gala will feature dinner, dancing, and the presentation of awards to individuals who have made significant contributions to the community and embodied the spirit of service and dedication.

“It is a moving evening not only celebrating housing success stories but the stories of the partners and employees who make it possible for so many to experience the joy of having a home of their own,’’ said Ron Abad, CEO of Community Housing Innovations. “We are fortunate to have so many dedicated partners without whom we could never achieve our mission. We thank PX4 Development for being the first to sponsor this event.’’

2026 Honorees

This year, CHI is proud to recognize several distinguished honorees:

Government Partner of the Year: Sabrina Jaar Marzouka, JD, MPH, Commissioner of the Dutchess County Department of Community and Family Services (DCFS). Commissioner Marzouka is being recognized for her extensive career in public health and social services, overseeing vital public assistance and protective programs. Born and raised in Haiti, Sabrina Jaar Marzouka attended law school and earned her judicial degree. She also holds a Bachelor’s in Political Science from Trinity College and a Master’s in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health. She began her career as Assistant Director for the Centers for Development and Health in Haiti, managing programs focused on health, housing, and economic development. After moving to Poughkeepsie in 1992, she served as Executive Director of the Catharine Street Community Center, where her leadership in expanding community services earned her the Marist College President Award. In 1997, Sabrina joined the Dutchess County Department of Health, eventually rising to Assistant Commissioner. Since March 2015, she has served as the Commissioner for the Department of Community and Family Services, overseeing public assistance and protective services for children and adults. During her tenure, the department strengthened its response to homelessness, increasing its workforce to offer case management services; collaborated with the County Planning Department to combine resources and increase rental assistance funds; and built partnerships with service providers; from outreach to prevention and stable housing solutions. A multilingual mother of three, she remains dedicated to supporting vulnerable populations both locally and in Haiti.

Champion of Champions: Pascale Leone, MPP, Executive Director of the Supportive Housing Network of New York. Ms. Leone is honored for her more than 20 years of leadership in advancing housing justice and her advocacy for supportive housing across New York State.  Under her guidance, the network has secured historic state and city funding increases and mobilized stakeholders to protect critical federal resources for supportive housing. Her career has been defined by driving transformative change for underserved communities, including nine years at the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) where she led the “Redesigning Access by Centering Equity” (RACE) initiative. A recognized “Nonprofit Power Player,” Pascale holds a Master’s in Public Policy from Rockefeller College and serves on several boards, including the Human Services Council and the Health & Housing Consortium. Her work has earned prestigious honors, such as Crain’s New York Business’ “Diversity and Inclusion: Showing the Way” award. She was recently appointed to Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Housing transition committee, where she continues to be a leading voice in New York’s housing policy and advocacy landscape.

Employee of the Year 2025: Emily Nothdurft, LMSW, Program Director at CHI. Since joining CHI as an intern in 2015, Ms. Nothdurft has risen through the ranks, demonstrating exceptional dedication to crisis intervention and client-centered care. Emily Nothdurft began her journey with CHI in 2015 as a Resource Center intern and has since ascended through the organization with a focus on advocacy and crisis intervention. After earning her Master’s in Social Work from Stony Brook University in 2017, she served as a Case Manager and was later promoted to Program Manager in 2023. During her tenure, she successfully lobbied for the creation of a Crisis Management Coordinator position, demonstrating proactive leadership in meeting the community’s growing needs. Now serving as Program Director, Emily oversees program operations while leading a multidisciplinary team. She remains deeply involved in the agency’s mission as an active member of the Mental Health Committee and as a SIFI-certified supervisor for interns. Her dedication to the field is further highlighted by her Crisis Intervention Counselor certification and her consistent commitment to enhancing care standards across the organization.

No Place Like Home Honorees: The gala will also celebrate a Homeowner Honoree and a Permanent Housing Honoree who represent the success of CHI’s programs.

Sponsorships and Tickets

Sponsorship opportunities range from the Corporate Sponsor level at $75,000 to Friends at $1,000. Individual tickets are available for $350. RSVPs and E-Journal ad submissions are requested by April 7, 2026.

For more information on sponsorships, tickets, or to donate, please visit www.communityhousing.org or contact Alida Quiñones-Reyes, VP of Development, at 914-355-0590.

About Community Housing Innovations (CHI): CHI is a nonprofit housing provider and developer operating homeless shelters, affordable housing, supportive housing, and homeownership programs across New York City, Long Island, Westchester, and the Hudson Valley.

Contact: Victoria Hochman; Vicky@thompson-bender.com 914-393-0702