MANHATTAN, NEW YORK, May 1, 2025 — Over 200 guests gathered on a radiant spring evening in New York City for the city’s third annual Gotham Ball, celebrating the power of food, community, and generosity—raising over 6 million meals for New Yorkers in need.
Thanks to our generous partners, including Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Sanpellegrino, Kind of Wild Wines, Acqua Panna, Breads Bakery, EmpireCLS, and Fulton Fish Market, the evening came to life with intention and heart. The space was transformed with intimate tables of ten, black-and-white floral arrangements of roses, hydrangeas, and anemones, and a sense of deep connection. It felt less like a fundraiser and more like a family dinner.
Guests enjoyed a spring-inspired menu, including a standout wild halibut with Meyer lemon beurre blanc and tender spring vegetables.
Food world icon Katie Lee Biegel, cookbook author, chef, and television host, was the evening’s honoree. A 20+ year New Yorker, Katie has used her platform to advocate for those facing food insecurity throughout the five boroughs. Before taking the stage, she shared that she had written her speech while sitting with her mother, and they both cried.
“New York feels like a small town,” she said. “There’s such a sense of community here. New Yorkers take care of each other. That’s why we’re here tonight. I feel really honored to be able to do this important work and to use my platform in food to help others in need.”
The theme of the night was “A Love Letter to NYC” and no one embodied that spirit more than Isaac Boots, celebrity trainer and native New Yorker, who regularly volunteers with Food Bank For NYC alongside his friends.
“New York City is all about the electricity. It’s the mecca of the arts, it’s constantly moving, and it’s home. I always feel like this is where everything happens. It’s the capital of the world,” Isaac said. “If you’re aware of your blessings, you have to give back. That’s what makes NYC beautiful. We all support each other and ensure no one is left behind. Food Bank For NYC feels like family. Every time I show up, there’s such a sense of community and home. We have to feed the countless people who need it. Food is a basic need. If you can just give what you can—it all adds up.”
Gretta Monahan, entrepreneur, style expert, and television personality, echoed that sentiment, sharing: “It’s important to give back to New Yorkers because they give to us. They’re our neighbors. We should do whatever we can to take care of them and their families. That’s what NYC is about. NYC isn’t just friendly—it’s family. That’s why we’re here. We’re showing up to take care of our city.”
Food insecurity remains a pressing crisis in New York. One in three children in the Bronx doesn’t have enough to eat—enough kids to fill Yankee Stadium twice. Last year, Food Bank provided over 800,000 free meals to NYC schoolchildren alone.
Seraina Macia, member of Food Bank For NYC’s Board of Directors and a mother of five, reflected on that reality: “I look around at my dinner table and think: What if one of these kids had to go to bed hungry? That’s just not right in a city like this. It’s the best city in the world. How do you not give back?”
Harry Hamlin, actor and co-founder of the Open Food Company, a clean, transparent, and unprocessed food venture, called the night essential: “A spring day like today—there’s nothing like it. New York City in the spring is like nowhere else. Raising money for people in need is fundamental,” he said.
“I’m a foodie. And now more than ever, it’s super important to give back to organizations like this. No one who’s hungry should stay hungry. We need to push hard to make sure Food Bank For NYC has the resources to feed everyone who needs it.”
With gratitude, community, and a love for this city, we came together—and we showed up.