The nonprofit finalists have been selected and winners of the 10th Annual Long Island Imagine Awards will be announced LIVE at a hybrid event on Tuesday, April 26, 2022 from 6-10pm at the Crest Hollow Country Club, Woodbury, NY. This gala event was created to offer formal acknowledgement to some of Long Island’s most effective and innovative nonprofit organizations. Over 150 nonprofit applications were submitted to win a $5,000 grant in five categories: Innovation, Leadership Excellence, Rising Star, Social Impact and Arts and Culture. Of this pool of worthy applicants, 20 were selected as finalists and one in each category will be awarded the grant during the LIVE awards ceremony on April 26, 2022.
“We are proud and active members of the Long Island nonprofit community and supporters of the Imagine Awards from its inception when we began as a sponsor of the Rising Star category, said Peter Klein, President, The Claire Friedlander Family Foundation. We moved on to support the Arts & Culture Category in 2017 in recognition of Claire’s deep appreciation for all things artistic.
The Claire Friedlander Family Foundation Arts & Culture Award
Bay Street Theater
Gold Coast Arts Center & International Film Festival
Teatro Experimental Yerbabruja Inc.
The Eglevsky Ballet
Cerini & Associates Social Impact Award
Backstretch Employee Service Team of NY
EPIC Long Island
Options for Community Living, Inc.
YES Community Counseling Center
The Certilman Balin Leadership Excellence Award
Long Island Children’s Museum, Aimee Terzulli, Director of Education
Mercy Haven, Inc., John Castellano, Attorney in Charge and Director of the Mercy Advocacy Program
RISE Life Services, Charles Evdos, Executive Director of RISE Life Services
Harmony Heights, Kathryn Nastri, LCSW, Executive Director
Flushing Bank Innovation Award
East End Food Institute
ELIJA Transitional Programs & Services (TPS)
The Viscardi Center
Family Service League
Vanguard Insurance Agency Rising Star Award
Andrew McMorris Foundation
Birthday Wishes of Long Island
Camp Pa-Qua-Tuck
Friends of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of Suffolk (also known as Retired Senior Volunteer Program of Suffolk County or RSVP Suffolk)
Ticket and sponsorship opportunities are available at www.imagineawardsli.com. For additional information contact Hillary Needle at Hillary@Hillaryneedleevents.com, 516-993-4056.
About The Imagine Awards
The Imagine Awards was created in 2012 on Long Island by Managing Partner, Ken Cerini of Cerini & Associates, LLP. Honoring nonprofit organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Imagine Awards recognize outstanding performances in the sector. 2022 will represent the 10th Annual Long Island Imagine Awards imagineawardsli.com and the 2nd Annual event in NYC, NYCimagineawards.com.
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INAUGURAL NYC IMAGINE AWARDS
The Claire Friedlander Family Foundation is pleased to support the Arts & Culture Award category for the Inaugural NYC Imagine Awards. This event was created to offer formal acknowledgement to some of NYC metro’s most effective and innovative nonprofit organizations. The success of the Long Island Imagine Awards, now in its 10th year, inspired founder Ken Cerini, CPA, Cerini & Associates LLP, to bring this innovative and inspiring event to NYC to shine a spotlight on the incredible nonprofits in and around the City. The winner in each category was announced LIVE at the awards gala on Tuesday, October 19, 2021 at the Edison Ballroom. Crystal Cranmore, WABC-TV’s Eyewitness News Race and Culture Reporter served as Emcee.
$5,000 grants were awarded in the following categories: Social Impact, Innovation, Arts & Culture, Rising Star, and Leadership Excellence. More than 270 501(c)(3) organizations located in and/or serving The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and/or Staten Island submitted applications. Of this pool of worthy applicants, 20 were selected as finalists and one in each category was announced as the winner. The 2021 NYC Imagine Awards Winners are:
Aetna Rising Star Award – ALD Alliance
Alliant Leadership Excellence Award – Girls Educational & Mentoring Services (GEMS) – Rachel Lloyd CMG, Founder and CEO
Cerini & Associates Social Impact Award – City Harvest
Claire Friedlander Family Foundation Arts & Culture Award – Museum of the City of New York
Cerini & Associates Fan Favorite Award – FABSCRAP, Inc.
“Supporting and investing in arts and culture organizations was important to our founder, Claire Friedlander, so it’s natural that the foundation continue this outreach on her behalf. The Inaugural NYC Imagine Awards is a perfect vehicle to connect with and promote NYC’s world-class arts and culture nonprofits,” said foundation President Peter J. Klein.
(L-R) NYC Imagine Awards founder Kenneth Cerini, CPA, Cerini & Associates, LLP, Keith Butler, Vice President, Development, Museum of the City of New York, Peter J. Klein, President, The Claire Friedlander Family Foundation.
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Invest in Others
The Claire Friedlander Family Foundation is proud to support the 2021 Grants for Change program on behalf of the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation (“Invest in Others”,) a nonprofit dedicated to furthering and amplifying the charitable work of financial professionals and their firms. Invest in Others has awarded $200,000 to eight charities as part of its second-annual Grants for Change program, which provides critical funding to organizations that uplift underserved communities. These nonprofits are working to create and enhance opportunities for communities of color, providing essential services to causes such as social justice, employment and education—with the goal of leveling the playing field and providing life-changing opportunities to underserved communities. The grant recipients include:
• Change Happens! for Good Life Outcomes (Houston, Tex.) • Coleman A. Young II Educational Foundation for CAY2 Girls in STEM (Detroit, Mich.) • EDsnaps for STEAM City of Women Leadership Development (New York City) • Girls Inspired and Ready to Lead, Inc. for Pathways to Career Leadership Program (Fairfax, Va.) • Korean American Community Foundation-San Francisco for No Room for Hate (Oakland, Calif.) • Lake Worth West Resident Planning Group, Inc. for Post-Pandemic Economic Stability for Women of Color (Lake Worth, Fla.) • Wine to Water for Indigenous Peoples & Nations Program (Navajo Nation) • Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation for Scholarships for Education (Milwaukee, Wis.)
Peter J. Klein, President of the Claire Friedlander Family Foundation is also the Chief Investment Officer and Founder of ALINE Wealth. Klein is highly aware of the importance charitable giving as an investment in humanity. “The Claire Friedlander Family Foundation, as a legacy agent, frames our giving in the spirit of our grantor – and does so with a mindfulness towards impact, effectiveness and sustainability. We serve to partner with our grantees and fellow philanthropic leaders in a fashion that promotes collaboration and transformation,” said Klein. “We believe that, in its most elegant form, we are investors – investing in the nonprofits we support – and in doing so pay special attention to these “investments” to insure they flourish and achieve their objectives,” he said.
The Invest in Others Charitable Foundation was founded in 2006 by financial advisors who invest in their communities. Since inception, it has provided more than $3M to over 300 charities across a myriad of causes to include health and wellness, education and youth programs, arts and culture, hunger and poverty prevention, military and veterans and more. For additional information visit investinothers.org.
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Allied Foundation Diaper Bank
The Claire Friedlander Family Foundation is pleased to support the work of the Allied Foundation whose mission to improve the health and well-being of people in the community, specifically by ending diaper need. Our grant to the Allied Foundation Diaper Bank will help provide immediate relief to struggling local families in the form of supplying 40,000 diapers and wipes to communities across Long Island.
Disposable diapers, an essential need, can cost $80 per month, per baby, up to 14% of a low-income family’s income. When these families suffer from diaper need, the physical, emotional and financial impacts can be devastating. Without access to clean, dry diapers, some families resort to unsafe diapering practices including reusing soiled diapers and leaving them on for extended periods of time resulting in infection, rash and poor health outcomes.
“No child should suffer for a lack of clean diapers,” said foundation President Peter Klein. “As diapers are not recognized as a basic or essential need by the government, programs such as SNAP, WIC or Medicaid do not allocate funding specifically for their purchase,” said Klein. We hope that our support of the good work of the Allied Foundation Diaper Bank inspires others to do so as well.”
(L-R) Allied Foundation Executive Director Heather Edwards with Claire Friedlander Family Foundation President Peter J. Klein.
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Peter Klein Honored at Life’s WORC Golf Classic
Life’s WORC, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism through its residential, community and trust services, recently held its 33rd Annual Geraldo Rivera Golf Classic at the Old Westbury Golf and Country Club, New York. The event co-honorees were Peter J. Klein, CFA, CRPS, CAP, Chief Investment Officer and Founder of ALINE Wealth and President of the Claire Friedlander Family Foundation and E. Christopher Murray, Esq., Partner with the law firm of Ruskin Moscou Faltischek, PC. All proceeds from the event went directly to supporting children and adults with intellectual challenges, developmental disabilities and autism throughout Long Island, Queens, and Manhattan. This is Life’s WORC’s 50th anniversary. The Celebrate 50! Campaign was kicked off at the Golf Classic.
“It’s especially meaningful to me to be recognized, along with my distinguished co-honoree Chris Murray, at the Life’s WORC 50th anniversary event. I’ve been a longtime supporter of the organization and it’s important work,” said Peter Klein.
L-R Life’s WORC CEO Janet Koch and Board Chair Lynne Koufakis with Co-Honoree Peter Klein. Photo Credit: Life’s WORC
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Life’s WORC Honoring Peter Klein
Peter J. Klein, President, The Claire Friedlander Family Foundation and Chief Investment Officer & Founder ALINE Wealth will be honored at the upcoming 33rd Annual Geraldo Rivera Golf Classic benefitting Life’s WORC and The Family Center for Autism. Peter is joined by co-honoree E. Christopher Murray, Esq., Partner, Ruskin Moscou Faltischek, PC. The outing is scheduled for Monday, May 17, 2021 at Old Westbury Golf & Country Club.
Life’s WORC is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that supports over 2,000 people with developmental disabilities and autism through Residential and Community Services, The Family Center for Autism, and Life’s WORC Trust Services.
This year, Life’s WORC is proud to “Celebrate 50,” commemorating fifty years of making a difference in the lives people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
“Life’s WORC has impacted thousands of individuals and families over their 50-year history. I am proud to serve on their board of directors and to lead the charge with my co-honoree at the upcoming golf outing,” said Klein. “It’s been enlightening to see, first-hand, how they care for and advocate on behalf of people with developmental disabilities.”
Peter J. Klein, President, The Claire Friedlander Family Foundation and member Life's WORC Board of Directors
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Smithtown Emergency Food Pantry
The Claire Friedlander Family Foundation has made a grant to assist the Smithtown Emergency Food Pantry provide food assistance to anyone in need. Established in March of 1984, the members of seven church congregations within Smithtown saw a need to provide food to residents who could not afford to feed their families. This is an ecumenical project that depends on the parishioners of all seven churches to work together as one in order to provide food and to staff the pantry on a rotating basis. Their motto is “to aid residents in an Emergency Food Crisis.”
The Smithtown Emergency Food Pantry continued to make an impact, even when they had to shut down at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. They reached out directly to their clients via phone, email and personal visits to distribute grocery gift cards until they could return to limited hours. They are currently reorganizing and upgrading the facility to enable clients to “shop” in a Covid-safe way rather than receiving prepacked bags.
“It’s important for the foundation to recognize and support the important efforts of the Smithtown Emergency Food Pantry, especially during this time of crisis,” said foundation president Peter J. Klein.” Food insecurity is a troubling by-product of the pandemic and we are proud to assist the pantry as upgrade their facilities to better distribute groceries to those in need,” said Klein.
Dedication of new kitchen facility at Temple Beth El
The Claire Friedlander Family Foundation was pleased to make a grant to assist Temple Beth El, located in Huntington, NY, with a long-planned kitchen renovation project that will enable them to provide meals for the food insecure in the Huntington Community. Temple Beth El recently dedicated the new facility that will make a positive impact on their community outreach.
“Temple Beth El’s commitment to aiding the poor and feeding our neighbors is a mission The Claire Friedlander Family Foundation will stand behind,” said foundation President Peter J. Klein. “It was our pleasure to help them expand their good work within the community.”
On the day of the dedication, Temple Beth El volunteers were busy preparing meals for seniors living in Paumanok Village as well as families associated with Tri-CYA.
L-R: Rob Seiler, Chair of the Temple Beth El’s Kitchen Renovation Committee, Peter Klein, President, The Claire Friedlander Family Foundation and Rabbi Jeffrey Clopper dedicate the new facility.
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Food Insecurity Grant
The Claire Friedlander Family Foundation is pleased to have provided funding for a Food Insecurity Grant to Baruch College to assist students experiencing food insecurity issues. This grant enabled Baruch to increase the food services it currently provided and created new opportunities for students in need of food. The plan included providing additional vouchers for existing program participants as well as outreach to students who are either unaware that help exists, or have been reluctant to come forward to seek food help they need.
“This additional support to Baruch’s Food Insecurity program will make a difference in their students’ ability to remain in school and achieve their academic and professional goals,” said foundation president Peter J. Klein. “We are proud to help Baruch students have the ability to nourish their bodies and their minds, which is key for educational success.”
Baruch College provides an inclusive, transformational education in the arts and sciences, business, and public and international affairs to students from New York and around the world and creates new knowledge through scholarship and research. A Baruch education is a financially accessible and powerful catalyst for the social, cultural, and economic mobility of students and a strong foundation for lifelong learning and community impact. Their distinguished undergraduate and graduate academic programs offer extraordinary value. Their diverse and outstanding faculty and staff are themselves lifelong learners, who continue to develop their expertise as teachers and administrators, augment their success as scholars and practitioners and exercise their talent as creators of art and facilitators of student success.
In an effort to prevent students facing immediate hunger from going unfed (those who have not eaten for an extended period of time; those experiencing dizziness or dehydration from lack of eating; or those who skipped recent meals because of lack of funds, etc.), the Office of the Dean of Students have made available a “Grab & Go” bag. This bag includes breakfast, lunch and dinner, and is designed to provide a student in need with nutrition to get him or her through a day.
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11th Annual Upstander Award Applications Open
The Claire Friedlander Family Foundation, in partnership with the Holocaust Memorial Tolerance Center (HMTC,) annually award $5,000 education scholarships to Nassau and Suffolk County students who have shown themselves to be Upstanders against intolerance in all of its forms. The student’s action as an Upstander could be one of intervention or prevention, great or small.
“We are proud to sponsor the Upstander Award which honors the life of our founder Claire Friedlander and embodies her legacy of recognizing those who make the often-difficult decision to take a stand against intolerance and hatred,” said foundation President Peter J. Klein.
HMTC defines an Upstander as a person who stands up for others, and does not allow bigotry, hatred or intolerance to happen without intercession.
To Apply:
• Teachers: Must Write a brief nomination letter about what makes your student/students Upstanders.
• Students: Must Write a 500-word essay on what makes you an Upstander using the essay prompt: I have demonstrated the actions of an Upstander by…
The ideal student nominated for this award:
Is committed to making our world a better place by demonstrating that they are not bystanders, but Upstanders who have taken action on behalf of another against prejudice, hatred or indifference;
Knows the importance of guarding the rights and safety of others, and exemplifies this through their daily actions;
Believes in HMTC’s underlying message that every individual can make a difference in their schools and communities, and knows that no act is too small to inspire change.
Is currently in middle school or high school (6th-12th grade), and lives in Nassau or Suffolk County, Long Island, NY.
Application MUST include a nominating letter from any teacher, guidance counselor, community member, community leader, or peer who has knowledge of a student who has acted as an Upstander may nominate that student for the Friedlander Upstander Award.
