At a time when global service organizations have never been more vital – or more in danger – Stamford-based Americares has raised $1.9 million to improve health worldwide.
The 2024 Americares Airlift Benefit – held April 11 at the historic TWA Hotel, John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens and hosted by award-winning actor and producer Bryan Cranston – celebrated the organization’s 45 years of life-changing health programs and the health workers and partners who make the programs possible. The event highlighted the organization’s response to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, health clinics in Colombia and its support for uninsured and underinsured patients across the United States. It culminated with a group of guests departing on an airlift to Colombia to see Americares work firsthand.
“This year’s event was a great success and showcased the incredible generosity of our supporters that allows us to provide health programs, medicine, medical supplies and emergency aid,” said Americares President and CEO Christine Squires. “The funds raised will make a meaningful impact for people affected by poverty or disaster worldwide.”
Besides Cranston – best known for his iconic roles in “Malcolm in the Middle” and “Breaking Bad” – the 400 guests included actor-director-producer Tony Goldwyn (“Law & Order’), an Americares board member, and CNN anchor and national correspondent Erica Hill, also on the board.
Cranston and Goldwyn surprised the crowd by auctioning off exclusive access to upcoming premieres. Cranston auctioned backstage passes to the opening night of a Broadway play and an autographed bottle of Dos Hombres — his artisanal mezcal with Aaron Paul. Goldwyn auctioned two tickets to the New York premiere of his latest film, “Ezra,” starring Bobby Cannavale, Rose Byrne and Robert DeNiro.
The featured speakers included Americares Colombia Country Director Diana Gutiérrez de Piñeres, Americares Deputy Senior Vice President of Emergency Programs Provash Budden and Svitlana Pugach, director of strategic partnerships at Tabletochki, a Ukraine-based partner organization that provides treatment for childhood cancer. Longtime Americares supporters Ignacio and Samhita Jayanti, Alexander and Sarah Saint-Amand, Mike and Lisa Ullmann and Eric and Joy Weintz co-chaired this year’s event, produced by STAMP Event Co.
A leader in the humanitarian sector, Americares is No. 9 on Forbes 2023 list of Top 100 Charities and a four-star rated charity, the highest possible, by Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator. Americares helps communities prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters; increase accessibility, availability, affordability and acceptability of medicine and medical supplies; improve and expand health services; and prevent disease and promote good health.
For more, visit americares.org.
