To aid their mission in providing critical social services to residents of the Bronx, VIP Community Services will host their 2nd annual Hope on the Hudson fundraiser aboard a cruise ship embarking from Pier 81 in Manhattan on September 12. In addition to supporting existing services, this year’s event will benefit the launch of Pediatric services for children in the borough and surrounding communities.

Children in the Bronx are 3.5 times more likely to be hospitalized for asthma than children in the other boroughs. Furthermore, statistics released by the Citizen’s Committee for Children of New York, Inc., in 2017, showed that over 40% of children in the Bronx live below of the federal poverty level.

“The Pediatrics services will be well received in this community,” said Carmen Rivera, VP of Communications & External Affairs for VIP Community Services. “Our community has been experiencing disparities in health care for some time. There are many children currently in our surrounding area living in shelters who are in need of health care.”

The fundraiser will help support approximately 25,000 clients that receive comprehensive medical, behavioral health, housing, and other social services from VIP Community Services each year, while honoring Rachel Kohler, CEO of NowPow, for her pioneering work in creating new opportunities for health systems to connect their patients to vital community resources.

“NowPow is honored to be recognized by VIP Community Services at their September 12, 2018, Hope on the Hudson event,” said Kohler. “I see tremendous synergy between the missions of NowPow and VIP. NowPow is a women-owned and -led tech company that empowers communities with the knowledge people need to get well, care for others, and manage with disease. We look forward to partnering with VIP to support the Bronx community for many years to come.”

Boarding for the two-hour luxurious boat cruise will begin promptly at 6:00pm on September 12. Sponsorships are available ranging from $5,000 to $20,000, with journal advertisements being offered from $300 for a quarter page to $3,000 for an inside front cover placement. Individual event tickets are $275 with a bulk rate of $225 per ticket for a purchase of 10 or more.

“At VIP, we are committed to improving the health of adults and children through the integration of primary and behavioral health services and collaborating with our community partners to break down health care silos,” said Debbian Fletcher-Blake, CEO of VIP Community Services. “In so doing, we will eliminate disparities in care.”