Open for Business: From One Generation to the Next
An evening to benefit Welcome to Chinatown’s Longevity Fund. Together, we can keep Chinatown open for generations to come.
Artwork by Emily B. Yang | @studioemilybyang
Welcome to Chinatown, Jefferies, and RTW Charitable Foundation invite you to a night of food, drink, entertainment, and live auction to benefit AAPI-owned businesses in Manhattan Chinatown. The economic downturn and rise in anti-Asian discrimination during the pandemic have taken a toll on AAPI New Yorkers. Let's get together and support our neighbors! 100% of donations will go to the Welcome to Chinatown’s Longevity Fund, directly benefiting AAPI-owned businesses in New York City. For more information on the uphill road to recovery for Chinatown's businesses in New York City read this recent article in Bloomberg.
Sponsors
The Koh
Family
Event Details
Date: Tuesday, May 10th
Location: Jing Fong (202 Centre Street New York, NY 10013)
Programming:
5:30PM - 6:30PM: Private Cocktail Hour for Gold Sponsors
6:30PM - 9:00PM: Dinner, Entertainment, and Live Auction
$15,000 GOLD Sponsor - SOLD OUT
Sponsorship with Logo on Event Materials
VIP Cocktail Hour
10-person Table for Traditional Chinese Banquet
$10,000 SILVER Table - SOLD OUT
8-person Table for Traditional Chinese Banquet
In-person participants must be vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide proof of vaccination upon entering. Questions? Contact makeagift@welcometochinatown.com.
The Longevity Fund
The only small business relief program exclusively for Manhattan’s Chinatown to support economic recover and invest in the future of vital entrepreneurs.
TLB Trading, a Longevity Fund grant recipient.
When we started The Longevity Fund to provide short-term relief to our neighborhood’s small businesses at a time of dire need, it became increasingly apparent that in order for Chinatown to remain always open in the face of an unlevel playing field, the community’s businesses need more than short-term aid. Support to small businesses is given in two ways:
Grants: We strive to open an honest dialogue about fiscal and accessible support in order to better understand and help small businesses recuperate losses and drive long-term sustainability. Grants help alleviate overhead costs and fund special projects.
Accelerator: Chinatown’s small businesses have been disproportionately burdened by a lack of access to resources and funding even prior to the pandemic. Our accelerator is led by talented individuals and like-minded companies to provide entrepreneurs with customized strategies for success.
Meet Some of Our Grantees
Ben’s Meat Market,
December 2020 Recipient
“Our shop is located in the heart of Manhattan Chinatown and we sell fresh meat, cooked food, groceries, baked goods, and more. Even under the pandemic, we decided not to increase prices and sell at a lower price to benefit our customers. All our groceries are sold at a lower price, to ensure our community can enjoy delicious food at a reasonable price. An ancient Chinese motto goes, “Many a little makes a mickle, ****Water dripping into a river”. We’d rather work more to make our customers happier. What we earn is not important, and to be happy is the most important. We truly appreciate the help of Welcome To Chinatown and the grant which will help ease the economic burden of our business.”
Learn more about the business here.
K&E Jewelry,
February 2021 Grant Recipient
“My commercial store tenant K & E Jewelry received funding from your organization. The money that the organization gave him has helped him a lot and managed to keep his business operating. A little background information about his and I relationship. I met him about 16 years ago on the streets of Chinatown when I was trying to find a new renter for my commercial space. He was in another space down the block that was closing(for ten years). Since he has become my tenant, we have become family friends and I watched his daughters grow up in Chinatown. I would consider him more of a friend than a tenant.
When Covid hit, I was extremely worried about his business and his family. I did my best to give all the concessions I can. We have asked for help from everything from the city/state/local leaders. We haven't received any help from any of them. However with your organization's help, it gave us hope and light that perhaps we can continue in Chinatown. We are forever grateful for your help.”
Learn more about the business here.
Golden Diner,
January 2022 Grant Recipient
“I’m grateful to be so closely connected with Welcome to Chinatown who work tirelessly to uplift our community. Not only do they directly support small businesses like mine, they exemplify the new wave of community builders and leaders. Welcome to Chinatown is preserving Chinatown’s culture steeped in history, while shaping its future in a fresh and conscientious way.”
Learn more about the business here.
Organizations
Welcome to Chinatown is a non-profit organization amplifying and addressing the critical needs of our community and its entrepreneurs. Founded in March 2020, the organization started when the COVID-19 pandemic combined with increased xenophobia, decreased foot traffic, and lack of advocacy resulted in tremendous hardship for Manhattan’s Chinatown. Our two co-founders, Victoria (Vic) Lee and Jennifer Tam, two Asian American women living in Chinatown, knew that small businesses were integral in preserving this culturally significant ethnic enclave for future generations. The grassroots initiative has evolved into a multimillion dollar non-profit supporting and advocating for hundreds of Chinatown’s entrepreneurs by bridging cultural and generational gaps. Together, we will keep Chinatown open for generations to come.
The RTW Charitable Foundation (RTWCF) is proud to support pioneers who are breaking new ground in the fight against rare diseases that may not represent compelling commercial opportunities, but do result in significant human suffering. We aim to power rare disease research, medical innovation, and humanitarian collaborations to improve the health of underserved communities. Since the start of the pandemic, RTWCF has been committed to supporting the COVID recovery needs of our New York City community. We are excited to continue to support small business owners in Chinatown in partnership with Welcome to Chinatown and Jefferies.
Jefferies is the largest independent, global, full-service investment banking firm headquartered in the U.S. Focused on serving clients for 60 years, Jefferies is a leader in providing insight, expertise and execution to investors, companies and governments. Our firm provides a full range of investment banking, advisory, sales and trading, research and wealth management services across all products in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Jefferies’ Leucadia Asset Management division is a growing alternative asset management platform.
Jefferies focuses its philanthropic giving and community engagement through real-time responses to issues affecting all of us globally. We partner with nonprofit organizations that align with our commitment to sustainability, to promote diversity and inclusion and assist with relief efforts.