Former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning and other athletes and VIPs will celebrate GENYOUth’s inaugural gala at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on Wednesday, December 7.
Notable business and thought leaders, and guests will come together to honor the accomplishments and future of the leading youth empowerment nonprofit’s five years of supporting student nutrition and physical activity.
Popular ESPN commentators Mike Golic and Hannah Storm will serve as the event’s masters of ceremonies.
In announcing the gala, Alexis Glick, GENYOUth’s CEO, explained, “2016 marks five years since we launched GENYOUth. It’s a pivotal time in the evolution of our organization, and the gala enables us to build on the momentum we’ve achieved as an organization, while taking a moment to pause, appreciate, and celebrate with those organizations and individuals who have made our work possible.”
Highlights of the evening will include short remarks by Manning, who added, “I’m honored to be part of the celebration recognizing this milestone for GENYOUth and its ongoing dedication to provide opportunities for youth to be leaders of health and wellness initiatives in their schools and communities.”
NFL Commissioner and GENYOUth board member Roger Goodell will join Manning in providing remarks, and notably, will introduce GENYOUth’s first Vanguard Award to SAP CEO Bill McDermott. Under his leadership, SAP has set a bold agenda for digitizing the health care industry and McDermott, personally, has set an example as an advocate of entrepreneurial thinking, supporting innovation and design thinking to solve some of our country’s greatest health concerns. His humility, spirit and determination served as a model for this year’s award, and will do so in the years ahead.
“Bill McDermott is a leader who exemplifies courage, compassion and commitment in the service of youth,” says Commissioner Goodell. “As one of GENYOUth’s greatest advocates, McDermott championed a partnership between SAP and GENYOUth, helping launch the social entrepreneurship program AdVenture Capital. Thanks to Bill and SAP, hundreds of student-led health and wellness solutions have been funded in several hundred schools across the country impacting more than 100,000 students.”
The student social-entrepreneurship program, AdVenture Capital, aims to teach students how to think and act like business leaders, to persevere and work though obstacles to solve health disparities in their backyard. This skill-development, leadership, and workforce-readiness initiative supplies funds to students for creating and leading the implementation of innovative ideas around school and community health and wellness.
GENYOUth’s mission involves bringing together public and private partners, convening dialogues, generating insights, building awareness, and channeling resources, all in the service of empowering youth around social change in their schools and communities – with a special focus on improved nutrition and greater opportunities for physical activity. In addition to the AdVenture Capital program, GENYOUth’s signature program, Fuel Up to Play 60, is the nation’s leading in-school wellness program which has increased the opportunity for millions of students to have access to healthier school meals and opportunities to get active.
Carla Hall, of ABC-TV’s “The Chew,” will lead a live Gala auction, and Fuel Up to Play 60 and AdVenture Capital students will play a key role in the evening. Dr. David Satcher, the 16th U.S. Surgeon General and GENYOUth board member, who has served as vocal advocate from the organization’s founding, will also be recognized for his contributions to youth health and wellness.
The gala’s honorary host committee includes luminaries from the business, professional sports, media, education, and government worlds, including Jennifer Morgan, president SAP North America; Louis M. Nanni, Vice President, University Relations, Notre Dame; Patrick Doyle, President and CEO, Domino’s; Richard Edelman, President & CEO, Edelman; and Chris Policinski, CEO, Land O’Lakes.
GENYOUth’s gala is made possible by sponsors, including: Title Sponsor SAP, Tailgate Sponsors Microsoft, Fairlife and Land O’Lakes, Halftime Sponsors CoBank, NTT Data, SiriusXM, and the National Retail Federation (NRF). Companies such as Dell, Domino’s, Fanatics, LionTree, Morgan Stanley, Nationwide, Nautica, TD Ameritrade, Toys R Us, WorkForce Software, and XLR-8 will also be on hand to support the event.
Tom Gallagher, CEO of Dairy Management, Inc. and Chair of GENYOUth’s Board of Directors, summed up the event by saying, “since its founding in 2010, GENYOUth has pioneered and evolved a menu of nationwide initiatives that empower youth to develop and exercise their influence in creating healthy, high-achieving schools and communities. The gala will bring together valued partners to both acknowledge and to renew their commitment to our mission – the mission of building on the legacy of passionate American youth as leaders of positive social change.”
Learn more about supporting GENYOUth at www.genyouthnow.org – and get more details on the Gala at www.gala.genyouthnow.org.
