The Founder Awards
For 45 years, St. Francis Friends of the Poor has stood alongside our most vulnerable neighbors, pioneering the model of permanent supportive housing in New York City. This May, we cordially invite you to join us in a milestone celebration, The Founders Awards.
Honoring Our Past • Building Our Future
This festive evening cocktail reception will allow us to recognize the extraordinary leadership, visionary foresight, and boundless generosity that built our organization from a single, bold idea in 1980 into a thriving community of three permanent supportive housing residences today. The event will also mark a pivotal step forward for our organization, as we announce the development of a fourth residence in East Harlem.
When and Where
June 2, 2026
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Upstairs at the Kimberly Hotel
Honorees
The Founding Friars
The visionary Franciscan Friars’ commitment to society’s most vulnerable gave rise to a national model for supportive housing. Grounded in the Franciscan call to recognize the inherent dignity of every human being, they created a community rooted in compassion, accompaniment, and the common good - values that continue to define our work today.
Mark Lebow, Esq.
Founding Board Chair Mark Lebow has been instrumental in shaping and sustaining SFFP from its earliest days. A founding partner of Lebow and Sokolow LLP with a distinguished record of public service, Mark has provided steadfast leadership, strategic counsel, and enduring generosity over 45 years. His deep commitment to the mission and to the individuals we serve has helped guide SFFP from a bold idea into the thriving organization it is today.
Davis+Gilbert LLP
For decades, Davis+Gilbert LLP has been a trusted partner to SFFP, providing essential legal counsel and strategic support that have helped build, protect, and sustain our mission. Their enduring commitment has strengthened our foundation and enabled our continued growth, ensuring we are well-positioned to serve those most in need for years to come.
Sponsorship Opportunities
We invite you to join us in honoring our past and building our future through sponsorship opportunities that directly support our work and advance our mission.
Event sponsors gain premier visibility among New York’s top civic, legal, and business leaders while aligning their brand with a respected, 45-year track record of community impact. Founders Awards sponsors receive a robust suite of benefits, including meaningful opportunities to engage employees, strengthen corporate culture, and demonstrate a commitment to social responsibility.
Presenting Sponsor
$50,000
Gold Sponsor
Platinum Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Bronze Sponsor
Sponsor
$25,000
$10,000
$5,000
$2,500
$1,000
20 Tickets
10 Tickets
10 Tickets
6 Tickets
4 Tickets
2 Tickets
All Gold benefits, plus:
• Full-page ad in the printed program
• Priority access to Corporate Engagement Opportunities
All Silver benefits, plus:
• Half-page advertisement in the printed program
All Bronze benefits, plus:
• Access to corporate engagement opportunities
• Quarter-page advertisement in the printed program
All Sponsor benefits, plus:
• Recognition on event signage
Recognition in the printed program and digital communications
All Platinum benefits, plus:
• Exclusive podium recognition during the awards ceremony
• Post on social media
Individual Event Tickets
Individual Event Ticket: $250
Includes full access to the evening cocktail reception, featuring the awards ceremony, as well as drinks and hors d’oeuvres.
Questions?
Please contact our event coordinator, Kevin Hammill, at kevin@wingo.nyc.