Annual Gala
CMOM Gala Celebrates Early Literacy
On Monday, April 20, 2026, supporters gathered for the Children’s Museum of Manhattan’s (CMOM) annual Gala to celebrate the power of early literacy and the impact CMOM has on children across New York City. The evening recognized distinguished leaders, Nessia Kushner and The Heckscher Foundation for Children, and Linda E. Johnson, President and CEO of Brooklyn Public Library.
The event highlighted CMOM’s unwavering commitment to early learning, arts access, and family enrichment, while underscoring the critical importance of fostering language and literacy development from the earliest years.
Explore event photos, watch our special videos about The Heckscher Foundation for Children’s commitment to early literacy and CMOM’s work with children and families living in shelters.
If you are interested in learning more about the event or how to get involved, email Adena Kerstein at [email protected].
Thank You To Our Supporters
Platinum
The Heckscher Foundation for Children
Gold
Julia Arnhold & Lane Gerson
Linda E. Johnson & Bruce C. Ratner
Miyoung E. Lee & Neil Simpkins
Laurie M. Tisch
The John P. and Anne Welsh McNulty Foundation
Bronze
Sarah Arison
John Civetta and Sons
Competition Architectural Metals, Inc.
Jeff Gates and Mike Moran
Hearst
Leader
Above All Store Fronts
Barone Steel Fabricators
Carolyn Tisch Blodgett & Will Blodgett
Nicole Kaye Evans
The Himmel Family
Nancy Fisher & Marc Kirschner
Lafer Family
Katherine & Joshua Lauder
Betty & John Levin
Mastercard
Mary St. Martin & Matthew Messinger
New Roc Contracting, Corp.
Michael & Claire Olshan
Shawmut Design & Construction
Andrew Shore & Josefina Hamren
Sarika Singh & Vivek Bantwal
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
TEI Group
Tessler Family
Laurie Zucker Lederman & David Lederman
Collaborator
Arsenal Scaffold
Marin Bergman
Mimi & Michael Boublik
Sarah & Maximilian Cascante
Amy & Eric Chen
Tiffany M. Hall & John Rhea
Peggy & George W. Hebard, III
HSF Kramer
Gisella Lemos Kahn & Andrew Kahn
Brittany Morgan Kurz & Zach Kurz
Marisa & Michael Leister
Michael & Renny Lewis
OceanFirst Bank
R. Baker & Son
Stephen Rosenthal
Stephanie & Matthew Sharp
Carla Solomon
Spectrum Painting Corporation
Stephanie & Blake Stuchin
Lita Tandon & Jim Ligtenberg
Sewit Teckie & Beeneet Kothari
Alexandra Traber McNamara &
Chris McNamara
Yuting Zeng & Matthew Magliocco
As of April 20, 2026