2012 Benefit and Ballgame is a Grand Slam

WHEDco's Step Up to the Plate Benefit and Ballgame was a great success on Monday, July 16, 2012. Over 100 of WHEDco's friends and supporters gathered in two luxury suites in the home of the New York Yankees, our generous host, to honor colleagues and celebrate another year of WHEDco's innovative work to build a more beautiful, equitable and economically vibrant Bronx.

This year, WHEDco proudly honored three partners who have continually stepped up to the plate to build a greater Bronx: Alan Epstein, partner of Hirschen Singer & Epstein LLP; Edward Odom, Vice President for Citi Community Development; and Maryann Hedaa, Founder of the Hunts Point Alliance for Children.

Rephstar and Patty Dukes of Circa '95 performed during the event. This hip hop duo is currently curating the Bronx Music Heritage Center (BMHC) Laboratory, and will be doing so until August. Their performance brought the BMHC into the stadium and allowed guests to get a taste of WHEDco's latest development, Bronx Commons, which will break ground in 2013 and will permanently host the BMHC.

Another one of the many highlights of the evening was experienced by some middle-school students from WHEDco's Project STEP program, who had the opportunity to go onto the field before the game (see photo on right). They were welcomed by a stadium full of cheering Yankee fans.

The benefit ended on a great note when the Yankees hit a grand slam, beating the Blue Jays 6-3. The night was a tremendous one for both WHEDco and the Yankees. WHEDco thanks all of the supporters who were able to come out for a great night in the Bronx.