A Recap of 2020
VIP COMMUNITY SERVICES GALA CELEBRATION
Partnerships in Service to the People of the Bronx and Beyond
Check out the Video of the Event
October 14, 2020, 6-10pm
Dear Friend:
Please join us on October 14, 2020 for VIP Community Service’s Annual Gala Celebration. You can be part of this important event as we come together to solidify special partnerships in service to the people of the Bronx and beyond. This year’s honorees include Pat Wang, Esq., VIP Community Builder Award recipient Diego Ponieman, MD, and Political Impact Award recipient New York State Assembly Member Michael A. Blake.
VIP is not alone as one of the countless organizations that have overcome much to continue its work in service to those who need us the most in the Bronx and beyond. The timing is perfect for you to collaborate with us in our celebration. Despite the challenges in dealing with COVID-19, this is a time for growth in the programs of VIP, both in 2020 and into the future. Our recent past has set the table for our future. In 2019 and so far in 2020 we
- Moved into our new headquarters at 770 E. 176th Street;
- Opened a 24 Hour Access Center providing around-the-clock entry to care for clients with substance use disorders;
- Launched new programs in pediatrics and ophthalmology, with Health Services receiving a grant to develop a dental program;
- Received approval to provide mental health care for children ages 5-18; and,
- Stayed open and active in response to our client’s needs despite the challenges of COVID-19.
Your attendance and support during our Annual Gala celebration on October 14 will assist VIP in rebounding from this unprecedented health crisis, while celebrating our staff who risked their lives, and continuing to enhance our efforts to reach more people and change more lives for the better. Please consider serving as a sponsor, purchasing an ad, buying tickets, or making a financial contribution in support of our programs. To participate, you can click on Register Now below.
Sincerely,
Debbian Fletcher-Blake
President and CEO
2020 GALA HONOREES
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Dave A. Chokshi, MD, MSc, FACPHONOREE
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Steven NewmanHONOREE
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Priyank Patel, PharmDCOMMUNITY BUILDER AWARD
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Senator Gustavo RiveraPOLITICAL IMPACT AWARD
We’re grateful for the support of our Host and Development Committee members! Thank you for making this celebration possible:
Host Committee
- Don Ashkenase – Member
- Norris Clark – Member
- Priyank Patel, PharmD – Member
- Errol Pierre – Member
- Silvia Ronda – Member
Development Committee
- Salvitore Gogliomelia – Member
- Yves Filius – Member
- Sara Schacter-Erenburg – Member
- Dennis Murphy– Member
- Colette Foster – Member
VIP Continues to Make an Impact
- Served over 5,000 clients who struggled with addiction, mental health, medical issues, and homelessness in 2018
- Opened an Access Center, providing 24-hour entry to care for substance abuse
- Launched new ophthalmology and pediatrics services
- Moving in summer 2019 to new headquarters and healthcare facility to better serve the community and our clients
- Partnering with NYPD’s Bronx HOPE (Heroin Overdose Prevention and Education)
Dr. Dave Chokshi is the Chief Population Health Officer at New York City Health + Hospitals (H + H), the largest public health care system in the U.S., as well as the Chief Executive Officer of the H + H Accountable Care Organization. As a result of their outstanding work in health system improvement and innovative care models, his team was recognized with the 2017 Gage Award for Quality by America’s Essential Hospitals.
Steven Newman is the former Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Public Health Solutions. He joined the organization after a distinguished career in government, serving as the First Deputy Comptroller of New York City, representing the Comptroller on the City Audit Committee, and serving as the Chief Management and Financial Officer for the New York Association for New Americans.
Dr. Priyank Patel is the owner of Felicity Pharmacy in the Bronx, whose commitment to serving the Bronx community and his patients is reflected in the professional, monetary, and personal investments he makes every day.
Senator Gustavo Rivera has represented the 33rd Senate District in the Bronx, including East Tremont and Crotona Park, since November of 2010. He serves as Chair of the New York State Senate’s Health Committee, and in March 2017, became the main sponsor of the “New York Health Act,” an innovative bill to create a single payer health system in New York State.