AFTEE Celebrated On National Giving Tuesday

Last week recipients and supporters alike gathered in Sag Harbor to celebrate “All For The East End” (AFTEE) on National Giving Tuesday. On a day designated to bring attention to local giving, it was obvious to all that AFTEE has in a very short time significantly impacted the work of non-profit organizations (NPOs) in the five towns of the East End.

BNB Director of Marketing and AFTEE Board Member Claudia Pilato served as Mistress of Ceremonies at the Giving Tuesday event. (Photo: Douglas MacKaye Harrington)

The wine and cheese reception at Dodds & Elder of Sag Harbor and catered by The Art of Eating was attended by both donors and the NPO recipients of the 2014 AFTEE East End Fund grants. The grants are managed by the Long Island Community Fund and in the 2013 AFTEE maiden year 20 NPOs were awarded grants of $2,500 in each of the five East Townships. As part of our Fall 2013 Cocktails & Connections networking event, Hamptons.com publisher Joseph Kazickas, through his family’s Kazickas Family Foundation, donated $10,000 to AFTEE.

Bridgehampton National Bank Director of Marketing Claudia Pilato served as the evening’s Mistress of Ceremonies and BNB President and CEO Kevin O’Connor was on hand to present AFTEE with a BNB contribution of $10,000. During the event, checks were also presented to AFTEE by Dan’s Papers, The Babcock Foundation, and Myron Levine, who along with WPPB’s Wally Smith, first conceived of the idea of AFTEE and brought it to fruition.

AFTEE founder and Board President Myron Levine. (Photo: Douglas MacKaye Harrington)

Although the East End is seen worldwide as an oasis of affluence, there is indeed need within our various communities for assistance that is best provided by local non-profits. To that end, several representatives from AFTEE granted NPOs were on hand to detail the work of their organizations including I-Tri, Community Action Southold Town, East End Hospice, and the Open Arms Care Center.

The evening concluded with a presentation of checks from the aforementioned donors after which Bob Edelman, Treasurer of the Board of AFTEE, made a verbal personal donation of $1,000 and invited others in attendance to do the same. He was immediately followed by Claudia Pilato who also made a personal donation of $1,000 herself that was quickly followed by almost a dozen other personal donations including another $1,000 donation from BNB’s Kevin O’Connor.

All For The East End exemplifies the definition of altruism at the grassroots level. Its support for the following 2014 grantees is profound, vital and no better celebrated than on Giving Tuesday.

AFTEE 2014 GRANTS
East Hampton: Eleanor Whitmore Early Childhood Center, Family Service Leaque of Suffolk County, Food Pantry Farm, I-Tri, and Project Most.
Riverhead: Aid to the Developmentally Disabled, East End Arts, North Fork Spanish Apostolate, Open Arms Care Center, and Peconic Community Council/Maureens Haven.
Shelter Island: SI Historical Society and Sylvestor Manor Educational Farm.
Southampton: CMEE, Dominican Sisters Health Services, East End Hospice, Lucia’s Angels, and Sag Harbor Community Food Pantry.
Southold: Community Action Southold Town, Inc., North Fork Animal Welfare League, and Southold Free Library.