The Blue Card Holds 83rd Benefit Dinner to Aid Holocaust Survivors

NEW YORK, April 09, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Blue Card, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to aiding Holocaust survivors, held its annual benefit dinner on April 8, 2019, in New York City.

Hosted by Emmy Award-winning television producer, author and Bravo host, Andy Cohen, the theme of this year's benefit was "A Celebration of Community Partnership." It featured a cocktail reception, silent auction, seated dinner and performances by premier a cappella singing group the Maccabeats and members of the cast of the critically-acclaimed, Off-Broadway show "Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish."

The event was a celebration of the many in the corporate, private and public sectors, and the philanthropic organizations and individuals, whose partnership and support has made the work of The Blue Card possible. Honored for their commitment to creating public-private partnerships to aid Holocaust survivors were Joe Biden, 47th Vice President of the United States, and Dr. Marion Bergman and Stanley Bergman, CEO of Henry Schein, Inc. and Co-Chairman of the Henry Schein Cares Foundation.

Mr. Biden was unable to attend in person, but sent a moving video message that included these remarks: "We have a shared obligation to guarantee the wellbeing and dignity of all those who lived through hell and endured it, unbroken. There are still too many who are suffering today – living in poverty, coping with poor health, disconnected from the support they need. There are thousands of survivors who need our help, many of them here in New York. We can make their lives better in concrete ways. The Blue Card is offering hope over despair, seeing humanity prevail over suffering and overturning indifference. Thank you everyone tonight for supporting this important mission to make sure Holocaust survivors in the United States, each and every one of them, has an opportunity to live out their life in peace, dignity and security."

The evening included the presentation of awards to individuals dedicated to supporting the needs of Holocaust survivors and advancing human rights worldwide.

This year, The Richard C. Holbrooke Award for Social Justice was presented by author and journalist Kati Marton to David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee and former UK Foreign Secretary. The Max L. Heine Humanitarian Award was presented to the New York Foundation for Eldercare and was accepted by President Michael F. Tietz. Additional honorees included past participants in The Blue Card's Bnei Mitzvah Project, a program where Bar and Bat Mitzvah students engage with and perform acts of service for survivors. The organization was also honored to be joined by special guest Elisha Wiesel, the son of Elie and Marion Wiesel.

"The Blue Card is proud to recognize Vice President Biden, Stanley and Dr. Marion Bergman, David Miliband, the New York Foundation for Eldercare and alumni of our Bnei Mitzvah Project for their dedication to raising awareness and taking action to support the current plight of Holocaust survivors in the United States who are so critically in need of financial assistance," said Masha Pearl, Executive Director of The Blue Card. "Thousands of Holocaust survivors from your neighbors to people you pass on the street lived through the unthinkable. The hard truth is for many of them survival still remains a struggle. Those individuals living at or below the poverty line must make difficult choices – whether to pay rent, buy food or get desperately needed medicine. The Blue Card's goal is to raise funds for current programs which deepen our connection with survivors in communities currently being underserved. We greatly appreciate the work of this year's honorees, and are looking to the larger community to help spread awareness about those still in need."

The Blue Card's 2015 Annual Benefit Gala honored Nobel Peace Prize laureate, human rights activist and Holocaust survivor the late Elie Wiesel, and was presented by Academy Award winner Michael Douglas and author and journalist Kati Marton. In other years, past event attendees and honorees have included Mia Farrow and Ronan Farrow, Ambassador Emeritus Thomas Pickering, philanthropists Zach Lonstein and Shoshanna Lonstein, Senator Charles Schumer, former New York City mayor Ed Koch, musician Regina Spektor, journalist Jonathan Alter and actors Cynthia Nixon, Jason Biggs, Tony Shalhoub, David Hyde Pierce and Danny Aiello.

For more information visit: http://www.bluecardfund.org.

About The Blue Card

The mission of The Blue Card is to provide direct financial assistance, with utmost respect and ever mindful of their dignity, to needy Holocaust survivors in the United States. Financial assistance is available on a monthly basis for most basic needs, as well as for emergencies, such as medical and dental care, special equipment, rent and utility shut offs, along with many other programs. For more information or to make a donation, please visit http://www.BlueCardFund.org, and follow on Facebook or Twitter @TheBlueCard.

Founded in Germany in 1934, and reestablished in the United States in 1939, The Blue Card has distributed nearly $35 million to Holocaust survivors to date, with 100 percent of annual contributions made by individuals going directly to survivors. The Blue Card is certified by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), has the highest 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and was named as one of the best Jewish charities by Federal Times.

SOURCE PRWeb House E-Commerce