57th Anniversary Celebration

Thursday, October 22, 2026
Where community, care, and impact come together

You are invited to join StartCare for an inspiring evening, bringing together community leaders, policymakers, healthcare professionals, and advocates committed to advancing equitable care. Together, we will celebrate StartCare’s growing impact, including our expansion of mental health services to reach people as young as five years old.  Set within one of Harlem’s most culturally significant institutions, the evening will feature an engaging program and meaningful opportunity to connect with community. Exclusive museum tours will be available to qualifying sponsor levels.

Purchase Tickets/Sponsorship Sponsorship Levels

Date
Thursday, October 22, 2026

Time
6:30 PM – 9:30 PM

Venue
The Studio Museum in Harlem

Address
144 WEST 125 STREET
NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10027

Our Mission

StartCare is the nation’s oldest and largest Black-founded behavioral healthcare and research organization of its kind. For 57 years, we have provided compassionate, comprehensive care in historically underserved communities throughout New York City.

With expertise in addiction treatment, mental healthcare, and biomedical research, we offer individuals and families access to innovative, quality care rooted in dignity and respect.

Honorees & Emcee

Four voices whose work has widened access to care, opportunity, and recovery.

Honoree
Geoffrey Canada
Founder & President, Harlem Children’s Zone

Geoffrey Canada is the Founder and President of Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ), a nationally acclaimed anti-poverty organization that has pioneered the field of comprehensive, place-based services, and Founder of William Julius Wilson Institute (WJWI) at HCZ. An innovator in the field of education and place-based work, Canada has made it his life’s mission to empower young people from under-resourced communities by connecting them with the opportunities and resources to realize their full potential. To bring his vision to life, Canada launched HCZ, a comprehensive, cradle-to-career pipeline of programs that The New York Times called “one of the most ambitious social-policy experiments of our time.” Starting as a one-block pilot project in the 1990s, HCZ today serves more than 22,000 scholars and families living in a growing 100-block area of Central Harlem in New York City.

In 2014, after 30 years with the organization, Canada stepped down as Chief Executive Officer of HCZ. In 2020, he came out of retirement to launch WJWI with HCZ CEO Kwame Owusu-Kesse, establishing a national resource for place-based, people-focused solutions that open pathways to social and economic mobility. Canada earned a bachelor’s degree from Bowdoin College and a master’s degree from Harvard University.

Honoree
Mackenzie Phillips
Actress and Author

Mackenzie Phillips is an actor, author, musician, mother, and addiction recovery advocate whose remarkable life reflects resilience, transformation, and the possibility of lasting change. Born into one of music’s most recognizable families, she rose to prominence as a teenager following her breakout role in the landmark film American Graffiti. She later became widely known for portraying Julie Cooper on the beloved television series One Day at a Time.

Behind her professional success, Mackenzie endured a deeply complicated childhood and a decades-long struggle with substance use, trauma, and addiction. After overcoming numerous setbacks and life-threatening challenges, she courageously shared her experiences in her bestselling memoir, High on Arrival, bringing difficult conversations about addiction, family trauma, survival, and recovery into the public spotlight.

Today, Mackenzie has transformed her lived experience into service. Through her work with clients at Breathe Life Healing Center in Los Angeles and her continued professional training as an addiction counselor, she offers a uniquely compassionate perspective shaped by her own experiences with substance use, PTSD, and complex trauma. Her journey, and her willingness to speak honestly about it, continues to offer hope to individuals and families navigating addiction and recovery.

Honoree
Saeeda Dunston
CEO, Elmcor Youth & Adult Activities, Inc.

Saeeda Dunston has served as Chief Executive Officer of Elmcor Youth & Adult Activities, Inc. since August 2014. With deep personal and familial ties to Queens, particularly the East Elmhurst and Corona communities, she has devoted her career to developing culturally responsive programs that empower individuals and families to become active agents of change.

Throughout her career, Saeeda has held senior leadership roles addressing poverty, racism, healthcare access, and other systemic inequities across New York City. Under her leadership, Elmcor has strengthened its position as both a trusted community-based service provider and a powerful neighborhood advocate, expanding partnerships with public and private institutions to address behavioral health, health equity, social and economic justice, stigma, and community education.

Among her notable accomplishments, Saeeda spearheaded Elmcor’s first supportive and affordable housing project, serving individuals experiencing chronic homelessness, people recovering from substance use disorders, and older adults. Her passionate grassroots advocacy also helped lay the groundwork for federal funeral assistance supporting families who lost loved ones during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Saeeda is also a proud wife, mother, and grandmother.

Emcee
Phil A. Taitt
Emmy Award-Winning Reporter

Emmy Award-winning journalist Phil A. Taitt is a morning reporter for WABC-TV’s Eyewitness News, where he wakes up with the city each weekday and reports on the events and issues affecting New Yorkers. A Brooklyn native with Caribbean and British roots, Phil has built his career around meaningful storytelling, covering gun violence, housing, politics, social justice, and major breaking news.

Before joining WABC, Phil anchored weekend evening newscasts at News 12 and reported on breaking news throughout New York City. His notable coverage includes the social unrest following the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery; New York City’s mayoral primary; Vanessa L. Gibson’s historic election as the first woman to serve as Bronx Borough President; and the Twin Parks fire, where he led hours of live reporting.

Phil earned an Emmy Award for Next Generation Dreams, a Black History Month special featuring an exclusive conversation with Martin Luther King III, Arndrea Waters King, and their daughter, Yolanda Renee King. A graduate of St. Francis College and member of the National Association of Black Journalists, Phil also serves his community through a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access and opportunity for young people.

The Venue

Studio Museum in Harlem

144 WEST 125 STREET
NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10027

The celebration will take place at The Studio Museum in Harlem, an internationally recognized cultural institution dedicated to championing artist of African descent and work inspired and influenced by Black culture. Founded in 1968, the Museum opened its new seven-floor, 82,000-square-foot home in November 2025. The first building in its history created expressly for the institution and its communities. Its permanent collection spans 200 years, represents more than 800 artists, and includes nearly 9,000 works of art.

Select sponsorship levels include limited access to exclusive VIP museum tours, offering qualifying guests a special opportunity to experience this remarkable new cultural landmark in a more intimate way.

Photo by Albert Vecerka
Photo by Albert Vecerka

Sponsorship Levels

Six ways to stand with StartCare. Every level carries event recognition; select levels include exclusive VIP museum tours.

Presenting
Sponsor

Starting at $50,000

An exclusive opportunity to be an anchor event partner, with a host of benefits providing maximum visibility.

  • Ten (10) General Admission Tickets with Reserved Seating During Formal Program
  • Four (4) Guided VIP Museum Tour Experiences
  • Opportunity for One (1) Sponsor Representative to Deliver Brief Welcome Remarks During the Formal Program
  • Premier Logo Placement on Event Signage and Step & Repeat
  • Premier Logo Recognition During the Formal Program
  • Dedicated Sponsor Spotlight on StartCare’s Website & Social Media
  • On-Stage Verbal Recognition by StartCare Leadership and the Event Emcee
  • Exclusive recognition as Presenting Sponsor
  • Dedicated Post-Event Recognition on StartCare’s Website

Visionary
Sponsor

Starting at $25,000

An exclusive opportunity to be a core event partner, with a host of benefits providing exceptional visibility.

  • Eight (8) General Admission Tickets with Reserved Seating During Formal Program
  • Two (2) Guided VIP Museum Tour Experiences
  • Recognition as a Visionary Sponsor on Select Event Marketing and Promotional Materials
  • Prominent Logo Placement on Event Signage and Step & Repeat
  • Prominent Logo Recognition During the Formal Program
  • Dedicated Sponsor Spotlight on StartCare’s Website and Social Media
  • Verbal Recognition During the Formal Program
  • Recognition in StartCare’s Post-Event Website and Social Media Coverage

Impact
Sponsor

Starting at $15,000

An opportunity to be a leading event partner, with a host of benefits providing significant visibility.

  • Six (6) General Admission Tickets with Reserved Seating During Formal Program
  • Two (2) Guided VIP Museum Tour Experiences
  • Recognition as an Impact Sponsor on the Event Website and Select Digital Materials
  • Featured Logo Placement on Event Signage and Step-and-Repeat
  • Logo Recognition During the Formal Program
  • Inclusion in StartCare’s Collective Sponsor Recognition on its Website and Social Media
  • Inclusion in StartCare’s Post-Event Sponsor Recognition

Catalyst
Sponsor

Starting at $10,000

An opportunity to be a key event partner, with a range of benefits providing meaningful visibility.

  • Four (4) General Admission Tickets with Reserved Seating During Formal Program
  • One (1) Guided VIP Museum Tour Experience
  • Recognition as a Catalyst Sponsor on the Event Website
  • Logo Placement on Event Signage and Step-and-Repeat
  • Logo Recognition During the Formal Program
  • Inclusion in StartCare’s Collective Sponsor Recognition on its Website and Social Media
  • Inclusion in StartCare’s Post-Event Sponsor Recognition

Advocate
Sponsor

Starting at $5,000

An opportunity to support StartCare’s mission while receiving valuable event recognition and visibility.

  • Two (2) General Admission Tickets
  • Recognition as an Advocate Sponsor on the Event Website
  • Logo Placement on Event Signage and Step-and-Repeat
  • Inclusion in StartCare’s Collective Sponsor Recognition on its Website and Social Media
  • Inclusion in StartCare’s Post-Event Sponsor Recognition

Supporter
Sponsor

Starting at $2,500

An opportunity to demonstrate your support of StartCare’s mission while receiving event recognition and visibility.

  • Two (2) General Admission Tickets
  • Recognition as a Supporter Sponsor on the Event Website
  • Inclusion in StartCare’s Collective Sponsor Recognition on Social Media

Thank You

We are so grateful for your generosity and support! Please contact our Development Team to explore additional partnership opportunities and customize your event sponsor package.

development@startny.org
917.231.4224
Purchase Tickets/Sponsorship