Broadway's Soara-Joye Ross Will Be the Featured Performer At Rising Ground Gala

As the capstone of the year-long celebration of its 190th anniversary year, Rising Ground will hold the "190th Anniversary Hope and Opportunity Gala" on March 7th at a midtown Manhattan club, and honor John R. Greed, Chairman, President, & CEO of Mutual of America Financial Group for his enduring commitment to the work of Rising Ground and New York's children and families. Ross will be accompanied by Broadway's Jesse Kissel (Chicago, The Cher Show, The Visit).

Jen Maxfield, an Emmy Award winning correspondent for NBC 4 New York will be the evening's emcee. Soara-Joye Ross, noted Broadway actress, will be the evening's star performer. Chuck Nice, comedian, actor, TV radio and podcast host will provide lots of laughs during the auction. Ross will be accompanied by Broadway's Jesse Kissel (Chicago, The Cher Show, The Visit).

The cocktail reception for the 190th Anniversary Hope & Opportunity Gala begins at 6:30 pm, followed by dinner at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $1000. The event calls for cocktail attire and all guests in attendance must be fully vaccinated. Proceeds raised at the gala will go directly toward programming to help support early childhood programs, foster care, adoption, healthcare, mental health, juvenile justice, and programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. For tickets or sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.RisingGround.org.

Rising Ground, one of New York's largest and most impactful human services organizations, is driven by the belief that each of us can thrive when life has hope and opportunity. Individual and corporate support enables Rising Ground to offer services of the highest quality to New York's most challenged populations, ensuring they are treated with humanity, dignity, and compassion, and provided the tools to find positive paths forward. Rising ground's yearlong celebration began on March 8, 2021 with a kickoff celebration at which a documentary that spanned Rising Ground's illustrious history was premiered. Following that, and in partnership with Trinity Church Wall Street, there was a fascinating series of lectures that married Rising Ground's mission with the history of social services in New York City, and other special events. Rising Ground has always had a special relationship with Trinity Church Wall Street, which provided space for the Leake & Watts orphanage (Rising Ground's original name and mission) when it first opened.

Details

Rising Ground's 190th Anniversary Hope & Opportunity Gala
Monday, March 7, 2022, Midtown Manhattan Club
Cocktail Reception at 6:30 pm.; Dinner at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $1000 www.RisingGround.org/190gala/

Ms. Ross was last seen on the stages of New York in City Center's production of Promenade, and John Doyle's reimagined, Carmen Jones at Classic Stage Company. Both performances received glowing reviews in the New York Times with the latter garnering her a Lucille Lortel "Outstanding Featured Actress Award" and nominations for a Drama Desk & an Audelco Award! Broadway: LES MISERABLES & Dance of the Vampires. Off-Broadway: Disenchanted (The Westside, Original Cast Album), Dessa Rose (Lincoln Center, Original Cast Album), Single Black Female (Playwrights Horizons, Colman Domingo), Jerry Springer the Opera (Carnegie Hall). National Tours: The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess & Smokey Joe's Café with Gladys Knight. Regional: Anything Goes w/ co-star, Corbin Bleu (Arena Stage - Reno Sweeney), Once on this Island (Actors Theatre of Louisville - Papa Ge), Sister Act (Arkansas Rep - Deloris Van Cartier), Nina Simone: Four Women(Alabama Shakespeare - Sephronia). Film: Garden State. TV: Crashing (HBO), The Flight Attendant(HBO Max).