We are excited to be planning an in-person event on Friday, April 1, 2022 @ the Albany Barn!
All proceeds from the Gala—AFE’s biggest annual fundraiser—support the academic, physical, social and emotional well-being of Albany City School District students. And it’s not too late for you to help by becoming a Business Sponsor or Honorary Committee member.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had deep impacts on our community and our schools. Albany’s students have struggled with the challenges of virtual learning, growing food insecurity, and the lasting emotional consequences of loss and social isolation. This year’s Gala Honorees were selected for their exceptional efforts to keep our students learning, growing, and succeeding through the pandemic.
Business Partner – Hannaford Supermarkets
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Hannaford Supermarkets supported our schools with grants for school food pantries. When the pandemic hit, Hannaford provided substantial donations to area food banks to address the immediate challenge of food insecurity. And then, when COVID, budget cuts and supply chain challenges collided, leaving many Albany households with multiple students attempting to attend class on one Chromebook, Hannaford stepped forward and opened the virtual school doors with a generous $75,000 donation to AFE, allowing us to equip 377 students with new or refurbished Chromebooks.
Non-Profit Partners
We couldn’t choose just one! Albany Victory Gardens and the Frank Chapman Memorial Institute both serve kids and families in Albany’s West Hill neighborhood.
Albany Victory Gardens upcycles vacant lots into viable, vibrant farmland. During the pandemic they saw a need in their community for community members to access the fresh fruits and vegetables needed to stay healthy and fight off COVID. The Victory Gardens stepped up and provided the infrastructure for a community directed free fruit and vegetable distribution, which provided more than 250,000 lbs. of fresh fruits and vegetables in the first year of the pandemic.
The Frank Chapman Memorial Institute has continued to provide vital community services to Albany’s West Hill residents, offering safe programming and healthy food to youth and seniors even when many other resources were closed because of COVID and providing mentoring and youth development services through Hood’s House of Hoops.
Vaughan Family Changemaker Awards
If there’s an opportunity to serve his city, Pastor Jonathan Hentrich will be there. His church, Christ’s Church Albany, organizes volunteers to assist in organizations of all kinds, shares technology to make COVID safe outdoor movie nights a reality, and helped distribute food to Albany students when schools were closed. His Serve Albany Brunches bring organizations together to partner and find the most effective ways to… Serve Albany!
AFE is pleased to honor Pastor Jonathan with the Vaughan Family Changemaker Award, which recognizes individuals whose commitment to improving their community and providing opportunities to our students embodies the spirit of AFE’s founder – Theresa Vaughan.
You can join us in recognizing these exceptional organizations and individuals by becoming a Business Sponsor or Honorary Committee member for the 2022 Gala. In order to be listed on our invitation, your Gala commitment must be received by January 31, 2022.