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Monday, October 23, 2006 8:55 AM

James Beard Foundation
Covenant House

May 16, 2004

Home of James Beard
New York, NY

There are many philanthropic organizations in existence today. Of course, not all of them are created equal. As the saying goes “The proof in the pudding is in the eating.” One such organization that really “comes through” in fulfilling their claims is the New York-based Covenant House.

Covenant House is a multi-faceted non-profit (501c3) organization offering a variety of youth-focused services to the community. These services include a crisis program, which offers immediate help with food, shelter, and clothing as well as crisis counseling for substance abuse and mental health issues for youths 21 and under; a mother-child program, which addresses the needs of young mothers with transitional residences, teaches young mothers about parenting skills, child development, and healthcare, provides an on-site nursery and individual child assessment; a Rights of Passage program, which allows young women to take control of their future by providing help with vocational and educational goals, resume preparation, and necessities such as affordable on-site childcare, training in nutrition, baby care and child development. There is also a Community Resource Center, which furnishes neighborhoods with support services—a center which reaches all five boroughs, allowing Covenant House to become an active member of the community. Covenant House even has an outreach program to reach those who are not ready to come to them.

Covenant House also encourages youths to get involved in improving communities. By offering a Youth Leadership Program, youths can be trained and given volunteer opportunities to develop leadership skills. There is also a Youth Leadership Group, which convenes regularly to develop new ways of improving the community, and an EAGLES program, in which qualified candidates travel to Albany, NY and Washington, DC to advocate and speak on behalf of the needs of our youths within the community. Their Regional Training Center offers a diversity of training in a variety of different types of expertise, including culinary arts, a program which is run in cooperation with Ezekiel’s Café,

Covenant House even offers on-site healthcare services, which addresses primary healthcare needs for youths and their children, an advocacy department, which furnishes youths with qualified legal assistance and a pastoral ministry, to help support the spiritual needs of today’s youths,

This wonderful event was held at the former home of James Beard, a world renowned chef, who donated his Chelsea-based residence to Covenant House so that it may be used for an assortment of fundraising events and functions. Here people can gather for fundraisers and savor the aroma and flavor of delicious meals prepared by Covenant House’s “chefs-to-be”, who are trained at Ezekiel’s Café. I was fortunate to have tried one of their delicious meals—split pea soup, salad garnished with cranberries and chopped walnuts and smothered in raspberry vinaigrette, a refreshing lemon sorbet, a delicious crabmeat stuffed fish fillet, and for dessert, a poir au vin (pear marinated with wine). After treats included chocolate chip, oatmeal and peanut butter cookies and fresh fruit. In addition, there was a wonderful, full-bodied chardonnay, as well as a cabernet for one’s sipping pleasure.

After the meal, Mr. Bruce Henry, Covenant House’s Executive Director, got up and spoke to the audience about the wonderful philanthropic work the organization is doing. He then diverted the topic over to Mr. Frank Schaffer, who was being honored for his lifelong devotion to Covenant House. His award was a statue of a young, homeless individual sitting on a garbage can—symbolizing one of the many youths, which Covenant House has been able to help, thanks to Mr. Beard’s assistance. This was, indeed, a wonderful event, with lots of culinary art to enjoy.

We at Liberty News Online would like to thank Ms. Stacy Allison for helping us with setting up interviews and providing us with the information we needed for this article. Anyone interested in learning more about Covenant House, may visit their website, at www.covenanthouse.org.

Abbey H. Muneer is the Executive Director of H.A.D. Organization of New York City, Inc., a world-famous athlete, author and, above all, a humanitarian. Abbey will write articles about charity events, benefits, fundraisers and galas which are raising money for humantiarian causes. If you are interested in having Abbey and one his staff members cover one of your charity events, benefits, fundraisers or galas, feel free to notify us one week in advance, at LNEvents@hadofnyc.org, or telephone us at (718) 507-7616, between the hours of 8:00am and 8:00pm e.s.t. and ask to speak to Abbey or Maria. If you would like more information, or would like to have Liberty News Online Magazine consult your next charitable event, please feel free to visit our website, at http://www.hadofnyc.org/store/success.html, email us at humanitarians@hadofnyc.org, or telephone our hotline, at (718) 507-7616, between the hours of 8:00am and 8:00pm e.s.t. (U.S.A.)