The second annual Make a Difference Evening on Wednesday raised $650,000 for Ronald McDonald House in Manhattan, which provides a temporary home-away-from-home for children being treated for cancer and their families.
“We started this event last year and thought we could get the fashion and apparel industries involved…we raised over $500,00 last year,” said Joe Gromek, president and chief executive officer of Warnaco Inc. “Phillips-Van Heusen will be a sponsor in 2011 and Jones New York in 2012.”
About 250 guests attended the event, which was held at Ronald McDonald House and again sponsored by Warnaco.
Emanuel Chirico, ceo of PVH, and Allan Sirkin, president and chief operating officer, were among those who attended the fund-raiser along with Warnaco executives Helen McCluskey, chief operating officer; Larry Rutkowski, chief financial officer and executive vice president; Dwight Meyer, president of global sourcing, distribution and logistics; Deborah Abraham, vice president of investor relations; Stanley Silverstein, executive vice president of international and business development; Frank Tworecke, president of sportswear, and Les Hall, senior vice president of intimate apparel.
The entertainment was provided by three stars of “American Idol”: Ruben Studdard, who won the 2003 competition, David Cook, the 2008 winner, and finalist Melinda Doolittle.
“This is the second year I am performing at this event because it is very meaningful to me how they help children with sickle cell anemia,” Studdard said.