WHITE PLAINS, NY - On Thursday, March 13, 2008, My Sisters' Place (MSP) commemorated its 30th anniversary at a Spring Benefit at the new Ritz Carlton, Westchester in downtown White Plains. The event honored the New York Football Giants for their decade of involvement with My Sisters' Place.
| G Rich Seubert, T Kareem McKenzie and TE's Darcy Johnson and Michael Matthews were in attendence. |
My Sisters' Place is Westchester County's premiere organization providing shelter, legal, support, advocacy, and educational services to victims of domestic violence and their children. The Giants Organization, led by John Mara, have embraced the work and mission of My Sisters' Place for the last 10 years with both financial and in-kind support. In July 2004 Giants players produced and starred in a "Men Speaking Out Against Domestic Violence" public service announcement campaign. In addition, each August the Giants organization charters a bus for MSP shelter residents to spend a day at the Giants training camp in Albany, NY.
"We have been blessed to have the Giants' support in our organization and are proud to honor them with the " Dream Maker" Award," said Karen Cheeks Lomax, Executive Director, My Sisters' Place.
"John Mara and the entire organization have been extremely generous with both their time and resources, and we are grateful to them for their continued involvement." Howard Cross, Giants Alumni player and My Sisters' Place supporter at the event spoke and said, " …guys, it is our job to get out their and let people know that we do not have to be tough to be effective. We can be smart and supportive and tell our fellow men that violence against women and children is not ok…" Susan Mara McDonnell accepted the award on behalf of the entire Mara Family and the Giants organization and said, "We are proud of our affiliation with My Sisters' Place and hope that our work together will continue. The Giants Organization including players, coaches, alumni and our entire family embrace the My Sisters' Place mission of ending violence in intimate relationships."
Generous sponsors, included The Ritz–Carlton, Westchester who contributed to the evening's success and all proceeds from ticket sales and the silent auction support My Sisters' Place programs and further its mission:
My Sisters' Place strives to engage each member of society in our work to end domestic violence, so that all relationships can embrace the principles of respect, equality, and peacefulness. Since 1978, we have advanced this mission throughout the Westchester County region with advocacy, community education, and services to those harmed by domestic violence. Through advocacy, we act as a force for social change in law and public policy. Through community education, we challenge public perceptions of intimate violence and the social inequalities that give rise to it, and we promote prevention with a special emphasis on youth. Through direct services, we support the abused, primarily women and their children, in seeking safety, self-determination, and justice.
