In celebration of Women’s History Month, FCA, one of Long Island’s largest human services agencies, will hold its second annual Long Island Women in Philanthropy breakfast and fashion show Thursday, March 30 at The Mansion at Oyster Bay.
The festivities will run from 9:00 a.m. until noon. In addition to honoring the vision of its founding mothers, FCA will recognize the work of present day philanthropist and activist Leah Fisher, senior vice president at Arbor Realty Trust Inc.
“It would be near impossible for FCA to do the important work we do without the support of philanthropic-minded women,” said FCA President and CEO Jeffrey L. Reynolds. “Fortunately, we experience the philanthropic ideal every day among our volunteers and donors, as well as the many women who come to work each day at FCA. These women are all present and future heroes, striving to help each other achieve their potential and strengthen themselves and others in our community. With this event, we are looking to inspire the next generation of women to help FCA continue to grow and serve the Long Island community.”
FCA’s original orphanage, the Temporary Home for Children, was spearheaded in 1884 by Louisa Lee Schuyler (a great granddaughter of Alexander Hamilton, one of our country’s founding fathers) and a group of like-minded women committed to the welfare of vulnerable children.
Today, FCA has six divisions that provide a wide range of services to Long Islanders of all ages.
These predominantly women-led divisions include Addiction Prevention, Treatment & Recovery; Children’s Mental Health and Wellness; Prevention and Community Engagement; Family Support; Residential Care; and Senior & Adult Services. Each of these six divisions will be represented in the fashion show by client and volunteer models whose lives have been positively impacted by FCA programs.
Fisher is a heroine and champion of women in her own right. In addition to the work she does managing projects within the Corporate Legal department of Arbor Realty Trust, Inc., Fisher is one of the founding members of ‘Conversations For Change,’ a podcast that explores social activism through challenging conversations.
Topics are selected based on overt areas of strife and inequity, current events, and what the women experience in everyday life.
Conversations for Change was conceived by a group of young women, budding social activists, led by Fisher and her mother, Susan Fisher, who felt frustrated with the snail’s pace of social progress, and wanted to created a platform for women’s voices to be heard. The podcast @convoforchange is widely available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon and other platforms.
The Women in Philanthropy event will be held on Thursday, March 30 at The Mansion at Oyster Bay in Woodbury from 9 am-12 pm. Immediately following the program, FCA will host a Women’s Market featuring a variety of products from local, women-owned businesses.
Fashions will be provided by FCA’s fashion show partner Altar’d State, located at the Roosevelt Field mall. Hair and makeup designs will be provided by students in Sewanhaka High School’s cosmetology department, a partner in the event.
For more information and to purchase tickets, contact Paige O’Brien, vice president of Strategic Advancement and chief development officer at 516- 746.0350 x 4320, [email protected] or visit www.fcali.org/events.
