Secure your tickets now for an unforgettable French Masquerade at DANIEL on October 29th
French-American Aid for Children (FAAFC) celebrated an exciting 85th Anniversary Gala with a French Masquerade at DANIEL restaurant on October 29, 2024. This was a spectacular event bringing together the Consul General of France to the United States, Cédrik Fouriscot, Celebrated Honorees, Hon. Judy Harris Kluger and Katherine Gage Boulud, Grantees of FAAFC, Sponsors and other notable guests. The elegant evening started with a Champagne Reception followed by dinner. Tanya Rivero, Weekend Co-Anchor of Eyewitness News WABC-TV was Master of Ceremonies. Cédrik Fouriscot began the evening speaking about the impact of FAAFC from 1939 to present and how the important charity has helped underserved children and families in France and the United States. Marguerite Mangin, President of FAAFC, spoke about how the organization has provided annual grants to well-known children’s charities, collaborating with them to improve the lives of thousands of children and families. The Hon. Judy Harris Kluger received the Children Come First Award for her work as CEO of Sanctuary for Families. This organization is New York’s leading service provider for survivors of gender-based violence, transforming the lives of nearly 8,000 adults and children annually with wrap-around crisis intervention, shelter, counseling, legal, and economic empowerment services.
The Simone Alibert Smith Award was given for the first time in honor of the Founder of FAAFC. This award was given by Jeri L. Sape, Vice President of FAAFC and Clay G. Stephens, the grandson of Simone Alibert Smith. The recipient was Katherine Gage Boulud for her work as Vice President for Spoons Across America. FAAFC was proud to honor her for her excellent work advancing children’s nutrition, education and promoting family meals in underserved communities across the United States. Last year they reached over 30,000 children offering their Food Exploration Project free for Schools.
The evening ended with the Croquembouche pièce montée presented with some of the Presidents of FAAFC who served over the years, Marguerite Mangin, Catherine Chappell, Ghislaine Somnolet and Huguette Hersch.
The sponsors of the evening were CIBC Private Wealth, represented by Daniel J. Silver, La Compagnie, represented by Nadeem Khan and Sofitel.
Representatives from some of the long-term grantees of FAAFC were Jeremy Kohomban, President and CEO, Children’s Village, and Dan Quintero, Executive Director, Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club.
A heartfelt thank you to our co-chairs Francesca Dricot, Jeri Sape, Wendy C. Weiler and Marie-Claude Wrenn-Myers for making this event a night to remember!
Since assuming the role of Chief Executive Officer at Sanctuary for Families in 2014, Judge Kluger has
secured substantial new sources of private and public funding, growing the agency budget from
approximately $15 million to $32 million today. Under her leadership, Sanctuary’s Legal Center launched
new programs to address the unique needs of college sexual assault survivors, incarcerated gender
violence survivors, and Orthodox Jewish survivors. Sanctuary has also expanded its innovative Economic
Empowerment Program, launched the first worker coop initiative, realigned the organization’s clinical
practice to a family-focused, evidence-based therapeutic model, and shifted all services to virtual
platforms to increase client accessibility. Most recently, Judge Kluger worked with staff and the Board to
develop a three-year strategic plan focused on impact, excellence, and equity.
Prior to joining Sanctuary, Judge Kluger served 25 years as a judge in New York State, ultimately as the
Chief of Policy and Planning, a position through which she oversaw New York State’s 300 problem-
solving courts. She currently serves on the Manhattan District Attorney’s Special Victims Division
Advisory Committee, the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV)
Advisory Council, the New York State Judicial Committee on Women in the Courts, and the advisory
board of New York Nonprofit Media. Judge Kluger is also a member of the Chief Judge’s Justice Task
Force and the Independent Commission on NYC Criminal Justice and Incarceration Reform.
Recognized with numerous awards, Judge Kluger has received the New York State Bar Association’s 2013
Award for Excellence in Public Service, the New York Women’s Bar Association’s 2019 President’s Special
Award, and the Fund for Modern Courts’ 2020 Career Public Service Award. In 2022 and 2023, she was
featured in City & State’s Nonprofit Power 100.
French-American Aid for Children has been a dedicated supporter of Sanctuary's Children and Family Services Program, which provides essential services to children up to the age of 21 and their families. This program aims to reduce the impact of domestic violence on vulnerable children, foster healthy family dynamics after trauma, and break the cycle of abuse across generations. Notable initiatives include the launch of Camp HOPE, a summer sleepaway camp for at-risk teens, and a significant expansion in hunger relief efforts, with approximately $200,000 in food aid distributed to hundreds of families each year.
French American Aid for Children is proud to honor Katherine Gage Boulud as the recipient of this year’s Simone Ailbert Smith Award for her excellent work advancing children’s nutrition education and promoting family meals in underserved communities.
Spoons Across America is dedicated to educating children, teachers, and families about the benefits of healthy eating. At the heart of their mission is a belief that every child deserves access to healthy, nutritious food as well as the knowledge to make informed choices about what they eat. Reaching over 20,000 children in New York City and across the nation, offering their Food Exploration Project free for Schools. SAA aims to create a generation of health-conscious individuals who appreciate the importance of balanced eating. They go beyond the classroom, including families, schools, and communities in a collaborative effort to promote better eating habits. The goal is not just to teach children about nutrition but to inspire a lifelong love for wholesome food.
As the Vice President of the Board of Directors for Spoons Across America, Katherine’s background as a chef in fine cuisine for Michelin starred restaurants and passion for nutrition are combined for the common goal of educating children to make healthier food decisions. Her work spans from teaching nutrition in classrooms to lobbying for food policy change with school boards nationwide and the Department of Education. She believes teaching children about healthy eating from a young age is fundamental in establishing the foundation for a healthy lifestyle and outlook on the world. Beyond her charity work, Katherine is the global brand ambassador for Boulud restaurants, assisting with special projects and community outreach. She is also a devoted wife and mother of two.
Tanya Rivero Warren is the Weekend Evening Co-Anchor at WABC-TV, Eyewitness News, on Channel 7. She anchors alongside Joe Torres every Saturday & Sunday evening at 6 and 11 pm. She reports Monday through Wednesday for the daytime newscasts.
Previously, Tanya was an anchor/correspondent for CBS News where she reported and anchored for national newscasts and on CBS News streaming. Before that, she was the host of Lunch Break with Tanya Rivero on The Wall Street Journal's digital channel, WSJ Live. She began her network career at ABC News as an anchor/correspondent where she anchored ABC News Now; America This Morning; and World News Now. She reported for Good Morning America, Nightline, World News with Diane Sawyer, and Weekend World News with David Muir. Before joining ABC News, Rivero was a reporter and fill-in anchor for WCBS-TV.
Tanya is a graduate of Yale University and the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism. She danced professionally with the New York City Ballet before college. She lives in Manhattan with her husband, Christopher Warren, and their two sons.
Our heartfelt thanks you to our sponsors for their generous support in pursuing our mission to make Children Come First !
