THE CENTER FOR DISCOVERY'S EVENING OF DISCOVERY GALA TO HONOR NELLY BLY AROUGHETI
The NYC Event is set for April 29th, 2025
HARRIS, N.Y., March 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Center for Discovery® (TCFD, The Center) is proud to announce that Nelly Bly Arougheti, family member and TCFD Board Member, will be honored at the 25th Annual Evening of Discovery Gala. The annual event will take place on Tuesday, April 29th, 2025, at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City.
The Evening of Discovery Gala is The Center for Discovery's premier fundraising event of the year, supporting transformative programs such as the Animal Assisted Intervention and Education program, the Integrated Arts program including recreation and music therapy, Assistive Technology and innovation, critical capital improvements across TCFD's campuses, and The Center's Food Is Medicine® model, which integrates organic farming and nutrition. Funds raised also benefit The Center's dedicated workforce of 1,700, providing essential benefits such as subsidized on-site daycare and summer camp, as well as tuition reimbursement and scholarship programs. An internationally-recognized research and innovation organization, TCFD serves nearly 1,200 children and adults annually who have complex disabilities, medical frailties, and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The Center's first-of-its-kind, new Children's Specialty Hospital, which opened in December of 2024, provides comprehensive support and treatment for young people with profound autism and medical frailties. The Specialty Hospital will expand The Center's extraordinary model of care, reaching and supporting many more families beyond those it currently serves. By building on TCFD's proven success, the Specialty Hospital will provide critical care and innovative interventions to even more children and young adults in need.
Nelly Bly Arougheti, a caregiver, advocate and author, currently serves as a board member for The Center for Discovery and as Co-Chair for its Board Development and Endowment Committee. She is a founding board member for Women's Health Access Matters (WHAM) and a Trustee for Dwight-Englewood School, as well as a former board member of Riverspace Arts in Nyack, NY. She co-authored, with Lois Kellerman, Marriage from the Heart: Eight Commitments of a Spiritually Fulfilling Life Together, following a distinguished career in book publishing, and is a graduate of Yale College and Columbia University. Nelly is a fierce advocate for the mission of The Center, serving as a founder of the Discovery Circle siblings group, and as a driving force behind many of their initiatives, including the Treehouse Project and the Discovery Dreams Play Park. She and her husband, Michael Arougheti, have been instrumental in The Center's development and philanthropic campaigns, including their leadership of The Center's strategic branding and marketing initiative, which helped elevate the organization's image as an international model in caring for individuals with complex conditions. The Michael Ritchie Big Barn for Environmental Health and Education, named for Nelly's stepfather, is a key component of The Center's programming and was made possible in part by their generosity. Nelly's brother, Billy, has resided at The Center for Discovery for the past three decades.
"This honor means so much to me," Bly Arougheti said. "The Center has had an extraordinary impact on my family and me personally. To witness the improvements and standard of care it has brought to all those served has been especially moving. I look forward to sharing exactly that at the gala."
This year's gala will also include special tributes to Jimmie Ritchie and Elaine Corrington, Nelly's late mother and Billy's caregiver, respectively – both of whom were integral to the fabric of TCFD for decades. Gayle King, renowned broadcast journalist, author, and co-host of CBS Mornings, will serve as the emcee for the evening, while actress and comedian Susie Essman, best known for her role on Curb Your Enthusiasm, will make special appearances throughout the night.
"We are looking forward to honoring Nelly this year," said Dr. Terry Hamlin, President and CEO of The Center for Discovery. "For over three decades, she has been an extraordinary leader and advocate for The Center's mission. As a member of the Board, as well as a family member, her unwavering support has been a cornerstone of our growth and success. She has made a profound impact on the lives of so many individuals served by The Center and has been instrumental in shaping the future of our organization. She is so deserving of this recognition."
Last year's Evening of Discovery Gala raised over $2 million and honored Edward C. Sweeney, TCFD Board Chair. Sweeney is currently the SVP external relations at NRS, Inc.
This year's event will feature cocktails, a formal dinner, entertainment, a silent auction, and dessert reception. Event attendees include prominent members of the business, entertainment and healthcare industries. For more information about the event, please visit: https://thecenterfordiscovery.org/event/gala2025/.
About The Center for Discovery:
The Center for Discovery is a leading provider of healthcare and education services for more than 1,200 children and adults with complex conditions, medical frailties and autism spectrum disorders, located 90 miles northwest of New York City. Named a Center of Excellence in 2016, TCFD has long been a leader in developing new models of care for individuals with complex conditions. Located on 1,500 acres of land in Sullivan County, TCFD, houses school campuses, residences, medical and research facilities, organic and biodynamic farmland, and leased private businesses offering meaningful employment opportunities. Deeply focused on an individual's personal potential and possibilities, rather than a disability, TCFD strives to create better care and unique and challenging opportunities for the most vulnerable populations.
The Center for Discovery
Michael Rosen
Executive VP of Development,
Marketing & Strategic Communications
(917) 232-5556
mrosen@tcfd.org
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SOURCE The Center for Discovery