NYC Healthcare Heroes program received $20 million in donations from more than 700 donors
Over the last four months, program by the Debra and Leon Black Family and Aramark has provided much-needed relief to healthcare professionals who served the city during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–NYC Healthcare Heroes, a city-wide philanthropic program launched by the Debra and Leon Black Family in partnership with Aramark (NYSE:ARMK), the American Red Cross, Robin Hood, and the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City to support NYC workers on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19, today announced that it has successfully completed deliveries of more than 400,000 care packages with more than 15 million products. This represents the successful culmination of the NYC Healthcare Heroes program, which, since its launch in early April, has delivered 302,653 care packages of shelf-stable food, household cleaning and personal care products, over-the-counter medicine, as well as 104,052 boxes of fresh fruit and nuts, to the professionals who served NYC during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. To further serve healthcare professionals and high need New Yorkers, NYC Healthcare Heroes is also donating an additional $300,000 worth of food and supplies to local food pantries that partner with NYC Health + Hospitals.
The NYC Healthcare Heroes program was launched with a $10 million donation by the Debra and Leon Black Family and a commitment to match up to $10 million in donations to expand the impact of the program. Through the generous contributions of over 700 donors, the program doubled in size to become a $20 million effort and provided well-deserved encouragement and thanks for the tremendous efforts of critical healthcare professionals. Initially aimed at serving over 100,000 healthcare professionals across the five boroughs, the program expanded in May to include more than 5,000 EMS and disaster services workers, helping alleviate the burden of having to shop for themselves and their families.
“Our city is forever indebted to our healthcare heroes for the tireless work and painful sacrifices they have made over the past few months,” said Debra and Leon Black. “Like all New Yorkers, our family has been humbled and inspired by their courage and resilience, and it has been an honor to support their heroic efforts through NYC Healthcare Heroes. We hope that the boxes of shelf-stable food, household cleaning and personal care products, as well as the bags of fresh fruit, brought our heroes comfort and alleviated the burden of having to grocery shop for themselves and their families.”
“Aramark is proud to have joined the Black Family to launch NYC Healthcare Heroes in support of the heroic efforts of healthcare workers,” said John Zillmer, Chief Executive Officer of Aramark. “We appreciated the opportunity to build relationships with our program partners, including Robin Hood, the Red Cross and the Mayor’s Fund, all of which helped make NYC Healthcare Heroes a success. In our efforts, we are hopeful we were able to bring smiles to the faces of heroes who continue to make countless sacrifices on the front lines for the benefit of New York City.”
“The NYC Healthcare Heroes initiative has provided a critical service for the frontline healthcare professionals who continue to serve in unprecedented circumstances,” said Wes Moore, Chief Executive Officer of Robin Hood. “We – along with our partners – will continue to support New Yorkers impacted by this crisis, and we are proud that even as the program comes to a close, it will continue to give back by donating extra resources to local food pantries to meet the needs of vulnerable communities.”
“The American Red Cross has been honored to join with the Black Family, Aramark and our other partners in supporting New York City’s healthcare heroes during these extremely challenging times,” said Gail McGovern, President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Red Cross. “Our volunteers have shared countless touching, inspiring and uplifting stories from their experiences, and the Red Cross is grateful to have participated in this impactful initiative.”
“The COVID-19 pandemic has confronted New Yorkers with one of the most challenging periods this city has seen, but thanks to the Black Family, the American Red Cross, Aramark and Robin Hood, our community has weathered this storm together so far,” said Toya Williford, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City. “We are grateful for the generosity of the NYC Healthcare Heroes partners and the individuals who, despite facing a national economic crisis, gave donations that put vital resources into this and other programs that continue to meet the critical needs of New Yorkers from all walks of life.”
About Debra and Leon Black
Debra and Leon Black support numerous medical and other institutions in New York City and throughout the United States. Debra sits on the Board of Overseers at Weill Cornell Medicine, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Rockefeller University, and she has spearheaded gifts for Melanoma and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (“OCD”) research. Leon is Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Apollo Global Management. He also is the chairman of the Museum of Modern Art (“MoMA”) and serves as a trustee of Mount Sinai Hospital, where his family launched The Black Family Stem Cell Institute in 2005.
In 2007, the Blacks co-founded the Melanoma Research Alliance (“MRA”), a nonprofit foundation that has become the largest private funder of Melanoma research worldwide, having committed over $150 million in funding to advance understanding of the disease. MRA has helped fund 12 drugs approved by the Federal Drug Administration (“FDA”) since its founding, which have been instrumental in launching the immunotherapy revolution, now helping to combat thirty different cancers.
In 2020, the Blacks co-founded The Foundation for OCD Research (FfOR) to fund research into and treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
The Blacks are also deeply committed to supporting veterans. In 2014, Leon launched the Apollo Veterans Initiative, where companies commit to hiring and retaining veterans, national guard, reserves, and military spouses and partners. The Debra and Leon Black Family also funds a graduate student fellowship program for U.S. veterans and active duty military members, which covers the cost of attendance and supports comprehensive leadership development annually at Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Business School, and Harvard Law School.
About Aramark
Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) proudly serves the world’s leading educational institutions, Fortune 500 companies, world champion sports teams, prominent healthcare providers, iconic destinations and cultural attractions, and numerous municipalities in 19 countries around the world. We deliver innovative experiences and services in food, facilities management and uniforms to millions of people every day. We strive to create a better world by making a positive impact on people and the planet, including commitments to engage our employees; empower healthy consumers; build local communities; source ethically, inclusively and responsibly; operate efficiently and reduce waste. Aramark is recognized as a Best Place to Work by the Human Rights Campaign (LGBTQ+), DiversityInc, Equal Employment Publications and the Disability Equality Index. Learn more at www.aramark.com or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
About Robin Hood
Founded in 1988, Robin Hood finds, fuels, and creates the most impactful and scalable solutions lifting families out of poverty in New York City, with models that can work across the country. Robin Hood invests nearly $120 million annually to provide legal services, housing, meals, workforce development training, education programs, and more to families in poverty in New York City. Robin Hood tracks every program with rigorous metrics, and since Robin Hood’s Board of Directors covers all overhead, 100 percent of every donation goes directly to the poverty fight. Learn more at www.robinhood.org; and follow Robin Hood on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.
About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
About the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City
The Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization working with 50 City agencies and offices, 300 institutional funders, and 100 community-based partners.
The Mayor’s Fund and its partners advance initiatives that improve the lives of New Yorkers from all walks of life and across all five boroughs. In particular, the Mayor’s Fund has made strategic investments to promote mental health services for all New Yorkers, increase workforce development opportunities for young New Yorkers, and meet the needs of New York City’s diverse immigrant community.
The Mayor’s Fund is chaired by First Lady Chirlane McCray and governed by a Board of Directors appointed by the Mayor. In addition, the Mayor’s Fund has an Advisory Board composed of prominent civic and business leaders appointed by the Mayor to advise and assist the Board of Directors. Learn more at www.nyc.gov/fund, sign up for our newsletter, or connect with us on Twitter.
Contacts
Media
Debra and Leon Black Family
Sard Verbinnen & Co
Stephanie Pillersdorf / Columbia Clancy / Kevin Siegel
(212) 687-8080
SP@SARDVERB.com / CClancy@SARDVERB.COM / KSiegel@SARDVERB.com
Aramark
Karen Cutler
(215) 238-4063
Cutler-Karen@aramark.com
OR
Sard Verbinnen & Co
Emily Claffey / Julie Rudnick / Bridget Nagle
(212) 687-8080
EClaffey@SARDVERB.com / JRudnick@SARDVERB.COM / BNagle@SARDVERB.com
