Smile Farms works to create vocational and educational opportunities and meaningful employment for people with disabilities in agriculture and hospitality. At their annual Growing Together Gala, they celebrated another year of making progress toward a more inclusive world.
The 2024 Growing Together Gala, held on Nov. 21 at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in Manhattan, honored the people who are integral to Smile Farms, like Sonia, who was given the Farmer of the Year award.
Sonia was once a patient at Catholic Health’s Mercy Hospital. As part of her ongoing recovery, she now works as a Smile Farmer at Catholic Health. The produce from this Smile Farms campus is donated to Mercy Hospital’s Family Care Program, where it is distributed to people who are food insecure.
“Sonia has shown exceptional dedication and outstanding performance throughout the year,” said Rebecca Tillman, associate director of Smiles Farms, “Consistently going above and beyond in her role, particularly with her commitment to delivering fresh produce grown by herself and her teammates to the Mercy Hospital Family Care Center, an outpatient clinic for women and children.”
Smile Farmers played a key role in the Growing Together Gala, helping to organize and decorate the event. Plus, their smiles showed just how the Jericho-based nonprofit got its name.
Audiences were treated to dance and musical numbers from performers, including the Incognito Artists and jazz legend Ann Hampton Callaway, a Tony Nominee.
The Growing Together Gala also featured a paddle raise and a live auction, which helped raise money for the organization’s mission of providing educational and learning opportunities in agriculture for people of different abilities.
The 2024 gala was the highest-grossing event in Smile Farms’ history.
Gala attendees enjoyed food, drink and music, all while helping agriculture become a more inclusive field for all.
“Smile Farms is incredibly fortunate to have the support of so many friends, sponsors, and partners who believe in our mission,” Tillman said. “We couldn’t do this work without them. We were thrilled to celebrate our shared accomplishments with 450 members of our community at the Growing Together Gala, because we know that true growth happens when we grow together.”
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