Town & Country Hosted Ninth Annual Philanthropy Summit at Hearst Tower on October 26

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Town & Country held its ninth annual Philanthropy Summit, "Evidence of Hope: Finding New Paths Forward" at Hearst Tower in New York City on October 26. This year's invitation-only event included a star-studded roster of speakers including Dr. Elizabeth Alexander, President of the Mellon Foundation; Stephen and Ayesha Curry, Co-founders of Eat. Learn. Play Foundation; Jennifer Garner, Actress, Philanthropist, Entrepreneur, and Save the Children Trustee; Questlove, Academy Award-winning filmmaker, Grammy Award-winning filmmaker, Grammy Award-winning musician, producer, DJ, director, culinary entrepreneur and New York Times best-selling author; Martha Stewart Founder, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia; Henry Timms, President and CEO, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts; Darren Walker President, Ford Foundation; Brian Stelter, Former Anchor for CNN's "Reliable Sources" and others to discuss hot-topic issues ranging from youth activism, mental health, the evolution of arts funding, the future of food and how the news cycle is determining America's philanthropic habits and more.

The Town & Country 2022 Philanthropy Summit coincided with the magazine's November 2022 Philanthropy Issue, on sale 11/1, which features covers with Stephen and Ayesha Curry, Questlove and Jennifer Garner. The Philanthropy Issue spotlights this year's distinguished group of entertainers, thought leaders, business tycoons and young activists who are currently shifting the philanthropic landscape. (Town & Country's November 2022 Philanthropy issue cover stories.)

Town & Country's Editor in Chief Stellene Volandes said, "True philanthropy begins with the simple question: 'What can I do?' Some respond with a donation so monumental that it fundamentally transforms a place for a community to gather in service to music and art. Some reply with family foundations and activism and action in service to children, or social justice, or equal opportunities and access for all. I learned about philanthropy in a place where, yes, some people wrote checks, but most contributed by cooking meals for whoever was sick, or in need, or simply overwhelmed. Where if you had a car you made sure anyone who needed a ride anywhere got there. Where you stopped in to check on friends or anyone you thought might need it. Simply showing up can sometimes be the largest philanthropic gift of all. And anyone can do that. We all should."

Town & Country's 2022 Philanthropy Summit was presented by Bank of America Private Bank, Gulfstream, La Prairie, New World Development, NewYork-Presbyterian and 1 Hotels. This year's speaker slate brought together a dynamic group of trailblazing journalists, activists, authors, athletes, entertainers and business minds for a high-level discourse around philanthropy:

This Is Our Youth: How November’s First Time Voters Envision Our Future
Introduction: Darren Walker - President, Ford Foundation
Harry Sisson -- Young Activist focused on climate, defending democracy and healthcare
Charitie Ropati -- Young Activist focused on climate, education, indigenous rights
Kellen Zeng -- First Time Voter focused on education, climate, and discrimination
Peren Tiemann -- First Time Voter focused on gun control, LGBTQ+ rights
Thandiwe Abdullah -- First Time Voter focused on gun control + Black Lives Matter2

Philanthropy Is a Family Affair: A Conversation with Ayesha Curry with a Special Message from Steph Curry
Moderator: Callie Rivers Curry
Special Message from Stephen Curry -- Co-Founder of Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation
Panelist: Ayesha Curry -- Co-Founder of Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation
Panelist: Christopher Helfrich -- Chief Executive Officer, Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation

Welcome to the Age of Rage Giving: How the News Cycle Determines America’s Philanthropic Habits
Moderator: Brian Stelter -- Former anchor of CNN’s “Reliable Sources”
Panelist: Darren Walker -- President, Ford Foundation
Panelist: Busy Phillips -- Actress, Activist
Panelist: Shannon Watts -- Founder of Moms Demand Action

Beyond the Museum Gala: The Evolving Art of Arts Funding
Introduction: Debi Larrison -- Managing Director, National Art Credit Executive, Bank of America
Moderator: Salamishah Tillet -- Professor of Africana Studies and Creative Writing, Rutgers University
Panelist: Dr. Elizabeth Alexander -- President of the Mellon Foundation
Panelist: Ebele Okobi -- Trustee and Chair of the Development Board, Young Vic Theatre
Panelist: Henry Timms -- President and CEO, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

We Need an Intervention: A Game Plan for Mental Health in America’s Youth
Moderator: Andrew Solomon, Ph.D -- Professor of Clinical Psychology, Columbia University, and best-selling author, Far from the Tree)
Panelist: Aeva Gaymon-Doomes, M.D. -- Clinical Faculty, Howard University College of Medicine and George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences
Panelist: Mitch Prinstein -- Chief Science Officer, American Psychological Association

The Power of Kindness: Jen Garner in Conversation with Cynthia McFadden
Moderator: Cynthia McFadden -- Senior Investigative correspondent, NBC News
Panelist: Jennifer Garner -- Actress, Philanthropist, Entrepreneur, and Save the Children Trustee
Panelist: Mark Shriver -- Special Advisor to the President. Chief Strategy Officer, Save the Children

We Are What We Eat: A Conversation with Questlove and Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart -- Founder, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia
Questlove -- Academy Award-winning filmmaker, Grammy Award-winning musician, producer, DJ, director, culinary entrepreneur, and New York Times best-selling author.

Conversation Highlights:

Jennifer Garner, Actress, Philanthropist and Save the Children Trustee, in conversation with Cynthia McFadden, Senior Investigative Correspondent, NBC News, on reaching families with limited means in rural America:

"If you're growing up poor in rural America, by the time you're four, you are a year and half behind developmentally and you never get that back. And if you are growing up poor in rural America, there's one book for every 13 kids, whether that's in a home, in a library, at school…one book for every 13 kids. Unless you are lucky enough to be a kid close to a school where Save the Children is working. In the US, we do an in-home visitation program where we go week after week and we have these very locally trained, super trained coordinators who go into the homes and just really encourage the mom (and the dad, or the caregiver, the grandparents, the caregiver or whomever is caring for these kids), and show them they have everything they need to help their child out of their situation because everyone wants the best for their kids; everyone wants their child to have something that they don't and can't have. They just keep going back and become a community for this family, and the amazing thing is, it works."

Ayesha Curry, Founder of the Eat.Learn.Play Foundation, on teaching her kids to be philanthropic:

"For me, I feel we throw out words like generosity and kindness but I feel it is our civic duty to give back to the community. We've been blessed with so much and have so much and I realize the disparities that are out there, and I feel like it would behoove us not to be doing that. I wouldn't be able to walk around on a daily basis without doing that.

I think that that's what I want to instill in our children: the desire and the want to always give back and be part of the community and not for anything in return, but to know that everyone should be afforded the same things you have and the same opportunities you have; that's just the way the world needs to be."

For more information on Town & Country's 2022 Philanthropy Summit line up, visit TandCphilanthropy.com and follow@townandcountrymag.

Photo courtesy of Hearst. Photo credit: Yvonne Tnt & Madison Voelkel/BFA.com.

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