Showing it is smart to have heart, the housewares industry raised a record $2.6 million during the Housewares Charity Foundation’s (HCF) 19th annual gala on March 7. Proceeds from the event, held at Chicago’s Navy Pier, benefited The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), the HCF’s legacy charity, the Housewares Charity Foundation Fund in Memory of Judy Colitz and God’s Love We Deliver.
Held annually in conjunction with the International Home + Housewares Show, this year’s gala honored Terry Lundgren, chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Macy’s, Inc., with the Lifetime Humanitarian Award, and Lester Gribetz, president of Lenox Corporation, with the Humanitarian of the Year Award.
“The housewares industry showed its heart for charity by raising this record amount in one night, and we expect the donations to continue growing in the coming weeks in memory of Judy,” said Phil Brandl, president & CEO of the International Housewares Association and president of HCF.
The event was sold out with more than 1,200 attendees enjoying a cocktail reception featuring 10 tasting stations hosted by James Beard Foundation chefs and Macy’s Culinary Council, including Jimmy Bannos, Jr., chef/partner, The Purple Pig; Rick Bayless, chef/owner, Frontera Grill; Gale Gand, pastry chef/partner, SpritzBurger; Paul Kahan, executive chef/partner, Nico Osteria; Marcus Samuelsson, chef/owner, Red Rooster Harlem; Nancy Silverton, chef/owner, Mozza Restaurant Group; Art Smith, founder, Reunion Florida Garden and Kitchen School; Paul Virant, chef/owner, Vie; Erling Wu-Bower, chef de cuisine, Nico Osteria; Takashi Yagihashi, chef/owner, Slurping Turtle; and Andrew Zimmerman, executive chef, Sepia. Dinner featured a three-course meal designed by Tony Mantuano, chef/partner, Spiaggia Restaurant & Lounge.
The evening also included silent and live auctions, where guests bid on an extraordinary collection of relaxing get-aways, dinners, unparalleled culinary experiences, sports and entertainment happenings. Offerings included trips to Anguilla, British West Indies; Provence, France; the American Music Awards; the Ellen DeGeneres Show; and the Macy’s Annual Thanksgiving Day Parade, as well as a stay in the Hamptons.
For more information about the Housewares Charity Foundation, its honorees and its charities, please visit http://www.housewares.org/show/charity
