Chita Rivera, Brian Stokes Mitchell and More Help Raise Funds During VIRTUAL VEREEN & FRIENDS

Last night, Care For the Homeless raised essential funds during Virtual Vereen & Friends, an online benefit to honor CFH healthcare and shelter heroes that provide care for New Yorkers experiencing homelessness every day.

Directed and produced by Tony Award winner and CFH Ambassador Ben Vereen and hosted by NY1 anchor Cheryl Wills, the event featured performances from Vereen as well as Wayne Brady, Michael Feinstein, Jeff Goldblum and The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, Clint Holmes, Nita Whitaker, Sky and Liisi Fontaine, Sara Mearns and Josh Bergasse, and the New York Police Department Jazz Band, and special appearances by Al Roker, Shoshana Bean, Glenn Close, David Copperfield, Bryan Cranston, Chita Rivera, Brian Stokes Mitchell. The evening ended with Vereen performing with Urban Voices Project, the homeless choir from Los Angeles.

Kicking off the evening, Ben Vereen reflected on his work with Care For the Homeless, including his recent visit to several of the organization's health centers, including Susan's Place in the Bronx, and thanked guests for joining and supporting Care For the Homeless in their efforts to "help people end their episode of homelessness."

Host Cheryl Wills then shared how "relentless and brave the CFH staff has been," noting that homelessness did not pause with the rest of New York City during the coronavirus pandemic, a health crisis that has only exacerbated disparities for homeless New Yorkers.

In one poignant moment, actor, singer, and producer Glenn Close discussed the work of Care For the Homeless and the impact of homelessness on women and children, noting that "70% of the homeless population are families, and the vast majority of those families are single mothers" who are doing their best to "love, nurture, and take care of their children in very challenging and difficult circumstances, especially now."

Proceeds from the event will support the organization's COVID-19 Impact Fund, which will cover the increased need for PPE; the technology to adapt to telemedicine visits which will protect both staff and patients; and to expanding access to high quality health care for homeless and unstably housed residents of New York City.

In discussing the work of Care For the Homeless, CFH Executive Director George Nashak stated that "CFH designs and executes solutions to homelessness" and "whether we as a society will have the vision, the generosity, and the courage to bring these solutions to scale, is a different question," and thanked guests for their commitment to being part of the solution.

Care For the Homeless is the only organization that has focused exclusively on serving homeless New Yorkers and has been doing it for 35 years. Last year, Care For the Homeless served over 7,800 homeless men, women and children and supported over 36,000 health center visits.

Virtual Vereen and Friends was produced and directed by Ben Vereen and co-produced by Pamela Cooper and Bee Season's Brian Dodson. Victoria Steineck and Miguel Clark were associate producers.

To learn more about Care For the Homeless and their work, please visit their website here.