North Brooklyn Angels honor three local groups at third annual luncheon fundraiser

June 20, 2023 Special from North Brooklyn Angels

North Brooklyn Angels’ luncheon committee poses with the honored groups. Picture includes leaders and members of Theatrical Teamsters Local 817, Brooklyn Brewery, and Whiskey Helps; Kendra Chiu, Executive Director of the North Brooklyn Angels; Neil Sheehan, Board Chair and Co-founder of North Brooklyn Angels; Kendall Charter, Executive Director of the Greenpoint YMCA, Paul Samulski, President of the North Brooklyn Chamber; Elaine Brodsky, Chair of the North Brooklyn Chamber. Photos by Philip Mauro.

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WILLIAMSBURG – The North Brooklyn Angels honored three extraordinary Brooklyn leaders at the non-profit’s 3rd Annual “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” Luncheon.

Each honored as a “Neighbor of the Year” were: Theatrical Teamsters Local 817, Brooklyn Brewery, and Whiskey Helps, all local groups that have demonstrated track records of supporting local community charities including the Angels.

Brooklyn Brewery honored as a “Neighbor of the Year” L-R: Elaine Brodsky, Chair of the North Brooklyn Chamber; Robin Ottaway, President of Brooklyn Brewery; Karli Bainbridge, VP of Marketing at Brooklyn Brewery; Tyson Swindell; and Paul Samulski, President of the North Brooklyn Chamber.

Raising over $170,000, the event seated over 125 guests, many of which were dedicated volunteers who were invited to attend as guests of sponsors. The Luncheon Chair this year was once again Elaine Brodsky, Chair of the North Brooklyn Chamber, whose partnership has been vital to the success of North Brooklyn Angels. “This year, we have something special planned that sets it apart from previous luncheons. We’re thrilled to honor three amazing groups that have been instrumental in supporting our community,” said Elaine Brodsky, “I can’t wait to celebrate their remarkable contributions.”

Elaine and her husband, Norm Brodsky, who also leads Whiskey Helps, have been actively involved with the North Brooklyn Angels since the very beginning, providing vital support and guidance to the nonprofit. The event was hosted at the Church of the Ascension in Greenpoint, Brooklyn following a recent renovation that has transformed the space into a multi-use venue for community events and concerts.

Theatrical Teamsters Local 817 honored as “Neighbor of the Year.” Picture includes Tony Argento, Founder of Broadway Stages; Elaine Brodsky, Chair of the North Brooklyn Chamber; Neil Sheehan, Board Chair and Co-founder of North Brooklyn Angels, members of Local 817 including Vice President Brian Salomone, and Secretary-Treasurer, Frank Connolly, Jr.

In attendance were also major longtime supporters of North Brooklyn Angels, such as Broadway Stages, IATSE Local 52, Waste Management, 25 Kent / Rubenstein Partners, DoorDash, and the Heatonist, which is part of the honored Whiskey Helps group of local entrepreneurs that meet weekly to discuss business trends, opportunities, and supporting charities over whiskey and cigars.

Its signature fundraising event, funds raised through the luncheon will allow North Brooklyn Angels to sustain and expand its mission of “neighbors helping neighbors,” which includes the annual provision of over 75,000 hot meals to local food insecure families and tens of thousands of baby, children, and maternity essentials through the efforts of hundreds of local volunteers.

The local nonprofit organization started in the winter of 2016, and by the summer of 2017, started serving free meals on the streets of Brooklyn out of their “Angelmobile,” a 40-foot mobile soup kitchen powered by volunteers. North Brooklyn Angels has since grown its local footprint to include an additional mobile soup kitchen truck, a dedicated commercial kitchen donated by and run out of the Church of Our Lady Mt Carmel in Williamsburg, where meals are cooked and prepared by volunteers, and served at nine sites throughout North Brooklyn.

Guests enjoying lunch provided by Mission Sandwich Social at the newly renovated Church of the Ascension in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

About North Brooklyn Angels

The North Brooklyn Angels is a volunteer-driven, hyper-local non-profit that organizes direct action projects to address the many needs that exist in a rapidly changing North Brooklyn: hunger, poverty, homelessness & inequitable access to resources. Directly addressing food insecurity, its tiny staff, augmented by scores of daily neighborhood volunteers, serves up to 2,000 hot, healthy meals per week at varying points of need in the area. To learn more about the North Brooklyn Angels, please visit northbrooklynangels.org or follow us on Instagram @northbrooklynangels.