Legal Services Nonprofit Celebrates 10 Years of Keeping Families Together

In celebration of 10 years of serving low-income families in New York City, the Center for Family Representation (CFR) will host its annual gala, Celebrating Families 2012, on Monday, October 1st at the Mandarin Oriental, New York. CFR provides legal and social work services to families at risk of separation by the foster care system and has been a source of change and innovation in the child welfare field since its founding in 2002.

Celebrating Families 2012 will be co-chaired by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a CFR founding supporter, as well as by Brian Steinwurtzel, managing director of Newmark Grubb Knight Frank. Newmark Holdings’ 40 Worth Street building has been CFR’s headquarters since 2010.

Sue Jacobs, CFR’s executive director, stated, “We admire the backing and expertise that Newmark, and Brian in particular, have consistently provided for the nonprofit community in New York. CFR’s staff and clients have greatly benefitted from the community of nonprofits that Newmark Holdings has brought together at 40 Worth. Brian and his team have become real partners with CFR.”

Mr. Steinwurtzel said he was honored to be co-chairing the event supporting the important work of CFR. “Newmark Grubb Knight Frank could not be more pleased to be serving the real estate needs of an organization of this caliber,” he said. “On a more personal level, it is extremely heartening to me to be associated with a group that makes such a difference in the lives of vulnerable children and threatened families.”

Celebrating Families will also recognize the Hon. Judith Kaye, former Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals, with the Founders Award for her role in CFR’s formation. Additional honorees will include a CFR client who has reunited her family, as well as prominent individuals and corporations dedicated to serving children and families.

CFR works to keep vulnerable families together by providing families at risk of separation in Manhattan and Queens with a lawyer, a social worker, and a Parent Advocate-a professional who has experienced the child welfare system firsthand and has reunified with their family. This team model has been extremely successful at reducing the number of children in foster care. Ten years ago, there were more than 28,000 children in foster care in New York City-CFR and partner organizations have helped lower this number to just 14,000 today. CFR prevents nearly half of clients’ children from entering foster care, and when care cannot be avoided, keeps their length of stay in care to just 2.5 months. In addition to preventing the negative effects of foster care on children, CFR’s work is saves significant public funding-more than $7 million in one year alone. Learn more about CFR: www.cfrny.org Gala information: www.cfrny.org/events/celebrating-families-gala/

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