NEW YORK - The Catalog for Giving is hosting its 9th Annual Urban Heroes Awards Benefit on Monday, September 27th at 6 PM at Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers. The Benefit honors 10 "Urban Heroes", inner city youth who, through their tenacity and hard work, overcame difficult life challenges, including poverty, violence, drugs, homelessness, crime, and abuse to become leaders in their communities. Presenting these awards will be several celebrities, including CBS 2 reporter, Lynda Lopez, MTV VJ, La La, and MTV News Correspondent, Sway.

The Urban Heroes Awards Benefit also honors adult Urban Heroes from the corporate and government sectors whom are making a positive difference in kids' lives. This year's corporate honoree is Robert Knakal, Massey Knakal Realty Services.

"I am deeply honored to be recognized as a 2004 Urban Hero by The Catalog for Giving," said Robert Knakal. "Like The Catalog for Giving, Massey Knakal Realty Services is committed to improving the lives of inner city youth through programs that promote teamwork, education, and positive self-esteem and I would like to commend all of this year's Urban Heroes honorees for their perseverance and success in this effort."

The Urban Heroes Awards Benefit is The Catalog's largest fundraiser. Overall, since its establishment in 1994, The Catalog for Giving has raised over $7 mil for youth service programs in NYC.

"As Board President, I am honored to have an opportunity to raise monies for our 10 funded organizations so that they can turn the lives around of even more kids who need help," says Catalog for Giving Board President David Schulman. "I'm thankful that our donors and celebrity friends play such a large role in changing the lives of thousands of kids throughout New York City."

About The Catalog for Giving
The Catalog for Giving is a non-profit group that raises funds to support 10 innovative and effective community-based organizations that help kids in need make profound changes in their lives. The Catalog takes great care in screening and selecting its member organizations to ensure that its donors are supporting the very best non-profit youth development programs in New York City. From mentoring programs in the arts and media for homeless children, academic tutoring and college prep for low-income students to technology classes and self-advocacy training for foster care youth, The Catalog's member organizations provide the positive structure to change a young life forever. Using minimal resources, these organizations have an exponential impact--not only on the youth they serve and the Urban Heroes (selected from each of these agencies) The Catalog honors, but also, ultimately, on their communities.

Catalog for Giving, The

Catalog for Giving, The

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