March 13, 2019 Press Release Lisa Evers of WNYW Fox 5 News Will Emcee the April 12th Event Celebrating the Coalition’s Job Training Program for Homeless and Low-Income Women NEW YORK CITY – March 13, 2019 –– Today, the Coalition for the Homeless announced that the 25th Anniversary Women Mean Business Luncheon – which benefits the First Step Job Training Program for homeless and low-income women – will be held on April 12th, 2019 at The Plaza Hotel. Eve Ensler, activist, V-Day founder and Tony Award winning playwright of The Vagina Monologues will keynote, and The Estée Lauder Companies, a founding sponsor of First Step, will be honored with the Corporate Heroes Award at the event. The Coalition will also include remarks from New York State Senator Alessandra Biaggi, and Lisa Evers, Reporter, FOX 5 NY, will serve as emcee. For the past quarter-century, the Women Mean Business Luncheon has been bringing together more than 400 of New York City’s most accomplished and engaged leaders to support First Step. Past luncheons have featured such notable speakers as Arianna Huffington, Hillary Clinton, Christine Quinn, Anna Quindlen, Ashley Graham, Darlene Love, First Lady of New York City Chirlane McCray, and Dari Alexander. Graduates of the First Step Program also share their stories of struggle and success, providing what is always the most moving part of the event. Dave Giffen, Executive Director of Coalition for the Homeless, said: “Since 1991, First Step has been helping homeless women to take control of their own lives, find living wage jobs and attain financial independence. We are so proud to feature extraordinary female leaders such as Eve Ensler, Alessandra Biaggi and Lisa Evers, and to honor The Estée Lauder Companies for everything they have done over the years to keep this vital program going.” The 2019 Women Mean Business Luncheon will be held on Friday, April 12th from 11:30am-2pm at The Plaza Hotel (770 Fifth Avenue @ Central Park South, NYC). A welcome reception runs from 11:30am-12:00pm, followed by the Luncheon program from 12:00pm-2:00pm. Sponsorships and tickets are now available at www.coalitionforthehomeless.org/wmbl-tickets/. For more information, contact Jessica Burger at jburger@cfthomeless.org. About First Step First Step gives homeless and low-income women the skills and confidence needed to achieve financial independence. Its innovative 14-week curriculum offers computer and job skills training, an internship with a major corporation or nonprofit organization, professional mentoring, one-on-one social services support, job placement assistance and extensive post-graduate support. For more information, visit www.coalitionforthehomeless.org/first-step. About Coalition for the Homeless The Coalition for the Homeless is the nation’s oldest advocacy and direct service organization helping homeless men, women and children. The Coalition believes that affordable housing, sufficient food and the chance to work for a living wage are fundamental rights in a civilized society. Since its inception in 1981, the Coalition has given more than one million homeless New Yorkers a way off the streets. Learn more at www.coalitionforthehomeless.org.
