M&F was at the scene of the inaugural Climb 4 Kids charity event in New York City where the national non-profit organization After-School All-Stars (ASAS) hosted a fun night of stair climbing and socializing for a good cause.
“We wanted to raise funds so we can continue to support the 1,200 kids in Newark and NYC with quality after-school programs every day from 3-6pm,” says Melissa Neubart, Development and Marketing Manager of ASAS Newark and New York Chapters. “We gave our guests a fun time and they want to come back! For example, we’ve received feedback from an individual that has been involved with the organization for over 10 years, saying this was the best fundraiser he’s been to.”
Founded by Arnold Schwarzenegger, ASAS has 16 locations in the U.S. that provide afterschool programming for children from kindergarten through high school. The New York event was designed not just for funds, but also to place focus on an often forgotten issue — childcare for kids who need it.
“Our goal was to raise awareness about the afterschool field,” says Neubart. “In fact, the climb took place the same night as Lights on Afterschool, a national event highlighting afterschool programs across the country that more than 1 million people participate in annually.”
The actual climb of the Climb 4 Kids event was 67 floors up 4 World Trade Center and the fastest climbers were Chris Calimano (Bib 344), who finished in 9:22 and Tricia O’Hara (Bib 304) made the climb in 12:01. M&F Editor Mark Barroso clocked in at 14:21, good enough for 15th out of 129 finishers.
ESPN and Hot 97 Radio Personality Peter Rosenberg and fellow Hot 97 host Laura Stylez emceed the after party, which included raffle and sample booths set up by some of the event’s 38 sponsors. Raffle winners won L’Oreal gift bags, Brooklyn Nets tickets, Max Martin Champagne and Shoes Party and a Maserati Ghibi for a day.
The spectacle of the night was the All-Star kids performing a celebration dance routine to recording artist Delfina’s “Free.”
In total, ASAS raised $94,814 and 40 students attended the event. The money raised goes directly to ASAS programs that serve New York and Newark kids.
“We teach our All Stars to make healthy lifestyle choices and challenge them to engage in physical activity on a daily basis,” Neubart says. “We ask them to reach for the stars and dream big.”
For more information about After-School All-Stars and its upcoming All-Star Fitness Challenge, contact Melissa Neubart at melissa@afterschoolallstars.org.
