City Year New York honors Comcast NBCUniversal with first ‘Champion of Service’ award for improving the lives of thousands of NYC public school students

At City Year New York’s 15th Anniversary Gala on April 26, David L. Cohen, senior executive vice president and chief diversity officer of Comcast Corporation, and co-chair of City Year’s national Board of Trustees, will accept the honor. It will be presented by Emmy Award-winning actress and activist Mariska Hargitay, who stars in NBC’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and is producer of the new HBO documentary I Am Evidence, an investigation of the backlog of untested rape kits across the country.

Also attending the gala will be more than 400 business and community leaders, as well as City Year New York AmeriCorps members who serve full-time in schools as tutors, mentors, and role models. The gala will be held at The New York Public Library at 7:30 p.m.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to celebrate Comcast NBCUniversal’s extraordinary commitment to building a brighter future for New York City students, and for the passion and leadership of David Cohen, who has been instrumental in building this partnership,” said Brown. “It’s also an honor for our AmeriCorps members and supporters to share this evening with Mariska Hargitay, who is not only a beloved actress, but also a force for change, particularly through her work to support sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse survivors.”

This year, 246 City Year New York AmeriCorps members are serving over 12,000 students in 22 New York City Public Schools, helping students stay on track to graduate from high school prepared for college and career success. Comcast NBCUniversal has been a National Partner of City Year since 2001. This year, together with Red Nose Day, Comcast NBCUniversal supports 24 jointly branded teams of City Year AmeriCorps members across the country, including City Year teams serving at P.S. 75 and P.S. 154, both located in the South Bronx.

Funds from this event will allow City Year New York to sustain and grow its programs and have a deeper impact on the schools and communities it serves.

WHAT: City Year New York’s 2018 Gala, Presented by Ropes & Gray

WHEN:Thursday, April 26, 2018, 6:30 p.m. Cocktails, 7:30 p.m. Dinner and Program

WHERE:  The New York Public Library, Stephen A. Schwarzman Building 476 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10018

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About City Year 

City Year helps students and schools succeed. Fueled by national service, City Year partners with public schools in 28 urban, high-need communities across the U.S. and through international affiliates in the U.K. and Johannesburg, South Africa. Diverse teams of City Year AmeriCorps members provide research-based student, classroom and school-wide supports to help students stay in school and on track to graduate from high school, ready for college and career success. A 2015 studyshows that schools that partner with City Year were up to two to three times more likely to improve on math and English assessments. A proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network, City Year is supported by the Corporation for National and Community Service, local school districts, and private philanthropy from corporations, foundations and individuals.