BGC Charity Day

BGC Partners, Inc. held its seventh annual Charity Day on Monday, September 12th, and Services for the UnderServed (SUS) was chosen as a beneficiary.

BGC was created by Cantor Fitzgerald in the aftermath of the World Trade Center attacks as Cantor Fitzgerald sought to re-build its business after losing 658 of its employees, which represented two thirds of its workforce in New York.

To commemorate those who were lost, BGC donates 100% of its revenues from Charity Day to selected charities around the world.  To date, BGC’s Charity Days have raised over $43 million globally from its Charity Days and collectively with Cantor Fitzgerald they have raised $65 million over the past six years.

‘Celebrity brokers’ helped raise money by conducting real trades with BGC’s clients (the major banks and investment banks) over the phone from the trading floor (alongside a licensed broker).

SUS’ celebrity brokers included lead singer Martha Reeves of Mowtown’s Martha and the Vandellas and R&B legend Melba Moore. Actors Noah Emmerich, and Vincent Piazza, star of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, will be in attendance as well as actress Taylor Shilling, who portrayed Nurse Veronica Callahan in NBC’s Mercy, and Emmy-winning broadcast journalist Barbara Nevins Taylor.

“SUS was honored to take part in BGC Charity Day,” said Donna Colonna, Chief Executive Officer of Services for the UnderServed. “For more than three decades we have been dedicated to meeting the needs of New Yorkers. BGC stood by its employees in the days following 9/11 and has created a special day of service and caring for New Yorkers in need, in memory of their colleagues and friends who perished in the attack against the World Trade Center a decade ago.”

Lou Scotto, Executive Managing Director and General Manager for the Americas at BGC Partners commented: “We are delighted that Services for the UnderServed joined us this year for our Charity Day.  Their mission of treating others less fortunate with compassion and courtesy and endeavoring to help them live with dignity in the community, direct their own lives and attain personal fulfillment is one we proudly support.”

SUS Harvest Luncheon

On Friday, September 16^th, SUS’ Urban Gardening program, now in its second year, hosted a Harvest Luncheon at our Chester residence in Brooklyn.  The luncheon was an opportunity to celebrate the great progress that our program has made this year, and for the individuals involved in the program to talk about what the experience has meant to them.

The SUS Urban Gardening program has a total of 30 raised beds across 7 sites, and currently employs 8 consumers from SUS mental health, developmental disabilities and veterans’  programs who maintain the beds.  This year, the gardens produced over 300 lbs. of collard greens, 150 lbs. of tomatoes, 150 lbs. of eggplants, and 150 lbs. of beets.  Dan Lohaus, SUS Director of Green Initiatives, said “I am incredibly proud of my garden employees this year, in particular how they have expanded the program and how they involved other consumers at each site.  It has been wonderful to see how much they have learned and grown, and the progress they have all made.”

Raoul, one of the participants, talked of how the program has allowed him to build up the confidence he needed to get back into the workforce.  Raoul was the chef responsible for the food at the luncheon, which included eggplant crostini with tomato salad, collard greens, and mixed salad. Nearly all of the ingredients used were home grown in an SUS garden.  Community Board member Viola Greene-Walker attended the luncheon, and expressed how impressed she was with the program and event.

Congratulations to all of our gardeners on a successful harvest – keep up the good work!!

SUS Volunteers Create Care Packages for our Troops

On the tenth anniversary of 9/11, SUS hosted volunteers from The Doe Fund, NY Cares and Mission Continues at our Knickerbocker Transitional Housing Residence for Veterans in Brooklyn. Over 30 volunteers created approximately 200 care packages to be sent to our New York troops overseas. The care packages contained socks, shaving cream, body powder, lotion, antiperspirant, playing cards, Sudoku puzzle book, and a Cliff bar. In addition, each package contained a personal note from the volunteers.

The majority of the volunteers were SUS Veterans, who enjoyed the opportunity to give back to our troops and do something honorable for our brave men and women. Thank you to everyone who attended and made the day such a success!

Luis C., a Vietnam veteran and SUS Knickerbocker resident said, “We need to let the men and women who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan know we are here for them. Many are going to have a tough time when they come home. We want to let them know they can count on our support.”