Photo Flash: Errico, Wooley, et al. Attend BRIDGE Benefit

Tony Nominee Melissa Errico joined a slate of outstanding artists from the worlds of Broadway, television, film and other mediums for "The Bridge: Where Hope and Respect Come Together," a benefit concert celebrating the work of the Crime Victims Treatment Center starting at New World Stages. Performers and volunteers for this amazing evening came together to ensure that the Crime Victims Treatment Center (CVTC)-located at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center-can continue its groundbreaking work empowering survivors of violent crimes including sexual assault, childhood sexual abuse and domestic violence. The event was conceived of and organized by former clients of CVTC who were moved to give back to the program that helped them heal.

Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS -one of the nation's leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations- co-sponsored the event along with New World Stages and private philanthropists Angela Myers and Lawrence Stock.

"This concert embodies the power of healing; people who were hurt and came to CVTC for services are now creating this event," said Susan Xenarios, director of the Crime Victims Treatment Center at St. Luke's and Roosevelt Hospitals. "It is a true testament to resilience and personal strength."

Wayne Barker (Dame Edna: Back with a Vengeance; After the Night and Music) served as musical director for the evening with Danny Taylor (The Marvelous Wonderettes) on drums and Joseph Wallace on bass. Performers include Melissa Errico (Amour, White Christmas, My Fair Lady), Michael-Leon Wooley (Little Shop of Horrors, The Princess and the Frog), Morgan James (Wonderland, The Addams Family), April Hernandez (Dexter, Freedom Writers), Zachary Booth (Damages, Royal Pains), Antuan Raimone (In the Heights), Meggie Cansler (Lucky Guy, Wicked), Kevin Massey (Tarzan, Memphis), Mykal Kilgore (Freckleface Strawberry, Hair), Steve Bargonetti (Hair), Jennifer McGill (The New Mickey Mouse Club) and CVTC survivors Danny McNie and Maegan Corcoran. Notable guests confirmed for the evening include Ramona Singer (The Real Housewives of New York City), Cara Buono (Mad Men) and acclaimed social photographer Donna Ferrato.

Violent crime affects millions of Americans throughout the course of their lifetimes. One in six women in the U.S. has been or will be a victim of sexual assault; seven percent of men in the U.S. are sexually assaulted in their lifetime and up to 10 million children witness some form of domestic violence annually. Established in 1977, the Crime Victims Treatment Center of St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital is now the largest and most comprehensive hospital-based victim assistance program in New York State. CVTC has provided a model for other health care institutions in the United States and around the world in the respectful treatment of survivors of family and intimate partner violence, sexual assault, childhood sexual abuse, and other forms of violence and crime. In 2010, CVTC provided 5,876 individual therapy sessions to 933 survivors; the program is hopeful that donations from this benefit will allow them to expand these numbers to offer services to an even greater number of survivors in need.

All proceeds for "The Bridge: Where Hope and Respect Come Together" will benefit CVTC. Members of the public wishing to contribute can make an electronic donation by visiting the event's website at www.thebridge-cvtc.org

The Crime Victims Treatment Center (CVTC) of St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center began as a small, grassroots program and has grown into New York State's largest and most comprehensive hospital- based victim treatment center. CVTC has a long and proud history of developing innovative programs, many of which have since been replicated by most or all of the victims treatment programs in New York City. At a time when hospitals did not have standards of care for sexual assault, CVTC pioneered the development of treatment protocols for survivors, evidence collection systems and after-care support services. At a time when Volunteer Rape Crisis Counselors were looked upon with suspicion, CVTC ensured that trained Volunteer Advocates became an integral part of the treatment of rape survivors in the emergency room. CVTC was the first program in New York City to address male sexual assault by recruiting and training male rape crisis advocates, and St. Luke's-Roosevelt was one of the first hospitals in the city to implement a Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner Program, providing trained nurses and doctors to deliver expert care to survivors of rape. Crime Victims Treatment Center staff provides crisis counseling, advocacy and individual and group therapy to survivors of all forms of violent crime free of charge.

www.cvtc-slr.org

Photo Credit:  Nick Coleman - Coleman PhotoGraphix

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