Yonkers, NY (PRWEB) April 15, 2014
The Greyston Foundation, the country’s leading social enterprise, will celebrate the success of its programs in providing individuals with jobs and the tools needed to lead self-sustaining lives at its 2014 annual benefit on May 21, 2014. The annual benefit will be held from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at X20 Xaviar’s on the Hudson in Yonkers.
Special honorees at this year’s benefit are Joe Armentano, CEO and Board Chairman, Paraca Gas Corporation, and John M. Tolomer, President and CEO, The Westchester Bank. Additionally, Lucy Moreno-Casanova, Greyston’s Community Gardens Coordinator, will be the recipient of the 2014 Bernie Glassman PathMaking Award. This annual award is given in honor of founder Bernie Glassman and is grounded in the philosophy of “PathMaking,” the foundation’s belief that individuals can be supported to move forward on their path to self-sufficiency.
Through Armentano’s vision and leadership, Paraca Gas Corporation has experienced considerable growth and has transitioned from an industrial gas business to a leading propane energy company. Armentano is active on several boards and is the founding member of The Executive Association of Westchester, a business networking association of entrepreneurs with a philanthropic heart.
Tolomer has more than 20 years of retail and commercial banking experience in Westchester, including executive positions with Citibank and The Bank of New York, where he served as a senior vice president. He was named President and CEO of The Westchester Bank in November 2008, focused on providing highly personalized service to small and medium size businesses in Westchester and the surrounding area.
Armentano and Tolomer have demonstrated a life-long commitment to supporting local charities and are especially proud of their work with the Greyston Foundation. Paraco Gas Corporation recently hired a Greyston Bakery employee as part of Greyston’s Next Steps program, and The Westchester Bank was a critical part of Greyston’s recent restructuring.
Moreno-Casanova, recipient of this year’s Bernie Glassman PathMaking Award, began her journey with Greyston as countless individuals do: as a member of the community. Participating as a volunteer in the Community Gardens Program for five years, her love of gardening, paired with her natural leadership and mentorship ability, positioned her to join the Greyston staff as coordinator of the program in 2000. For the past 14 years, Moreno-Casanova has expanded the Community Gardens Program to include seven growing sites, a robust educational enrichment offering at the Yonkers Public Schools, an environmental club for local youth, and countless events and activities which reach over 2,000 people while uniting and strengthening our neighborhoods.
Tickets and sponsorships for the annual benefit are available by contacting the Greyston Foundation at (914) 376-3900 or online at http://www.greyston.org.
About the Greyston Foundation:
Established in 1982, Greyston provides jobs for the hard-to-employ at the country’s leading social enterprise, the Greyston Bakery, and uses bakery proceeds to support a wide array of programs and services, including affordable housing, nationally-accredited child care, HIV health services, job training and placement, and a vibrant community gardens program. Greyston reaches nearly 5,000 individuals each year with its programs.
