Mauricio Martinez, Kyle Taylor Parker and Brynn Williams to Take Part in TOAST TO THE CHILDREN: HOME EDITION

Toast to the Children: Home Edition, an all-virtual celebration benefiting Children of Bellevue, hosted by Tom Colicchio-"Top Chef" star and owner of Crafted Hospitality- is tonight, Thursday, May 13 at 7 PM ET!

Guest are invited to join from the comfort of their own home for a very special evening as they meet the program leaders and staff at Children of Bellevue and learn about their work to help 25,000 children, teenagers, and their families each year. Children of Bellevue develops and funds special programs to improve the health and well-being of children at Bellevue, a 284-year old institution that predates even the Declaration of Independence. The annual Toast to the Children is its biggest fundraising event of the year.

At tonight's event, Children of Bellevue will award the Children's Champion Award to a group of incredible people who are true champions of children and underserved communities. They are linked by one incredible project that brought all three honorees together to bring attention to the crisis of immigrant children at the border:

- Elora Mukherjee is the director of the Immigrants' Rights Clinic at Columbia Law School and a globally recognized advocate for immigrants, asylum seekers, and unaccompanied migrant children.

- Waterwell is a theater company, founded by Tony nominee Arian Moayed, dedicated to telling engrossing stories that grapple with complex civic questions. Waterwell worked with Ms. Mukherjee and the Broadway Advocacy Coalition to create The Flores Exhibits, a series of short videos based on her work, in which artists, lawyers, and community leaders read the legal testimonies of children held in border facilities.

- Founded in 2016 by members of the Broadway community as a direct response to the nation's pandemic of racism and police brutality, our third honoree, the Broadway Advocacy Coalition, is a multidisciplinary organization that unites artists, legal experts, and community leaders to create a lasting impact on policy issues from criminal justice reform to education equity to immigration.

A trio of Broadway stars join tonight's program to perform musical numbers:

- Mauricio Martinez is an internationally acclaimed singer and actor who most recently appeared on Broadway as Emilio Estefan in On Your Feet, the musical based on the life and music of Emilio and Gloria Estefan. He appears in Netflix's "El Vato."

- Kyle Taylor Parker recently starred in the revival of Smokey Joe's Cafe and as Lola in Kinky Boots. His recently released second album, "Broadway Soul Vol. 2" is available on Broadway Records.

- Brynn Williams has appeared on Broadway in SpongeBob SquarePants and 13, The Musical. Most recently, she appeared off-Broadway in Lazarus, the musical featuring the music of David Bowie.

Toast to the Children is an annual gala, founded by Tom Colicchio, now in its 25th year, that raises money for the pediatric programs at Bellevue Hospital. Although virtual this year, this fundraiser, that is one of New York City's premier food and wine tasting events featuring some of the city's best chefs, hottest restaurants, and wines and spirits from around the world, will return in person in 2022.

Tickets start at $30 to view the stream. All proceeds go directly to the Pediatric programs that serve the children and families at Bellevue Hospital Center. To purchase tickets for "Toast to the Children: Home Edition", visit https://bit.ly/ToastHomeEdition.

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