Staten Island Top Women in Business to give back to local charities

BY HEATHER J. CHIN & MEAGHAN MCGOLDRICK

hchin@homereporter.com

The first annual Staten Island Top Women In Business networking event will honor influential women in the borough, and also include a raffle benefiting two local charities.

One of the charities is the borough’s only nonprofit grief and loss center for local children and families. Emma’s Place was founded in 2012 in the wake of the tragic death of Heather Newman Trapp, mother to then-five-year-old Emma and 20-month-old Sophia.

Newman Trapp, 37, was found dead inside her Staten Island home in December, 2011, murdered by her estranged husband, who then fled with their daughters, triggering an Amber Alert. The girls were later found upstate, unharmed.

“We’re trying to reach out to families in the area who don’t have anywhere to go, who are frightened,” said Karen Goldman, the chairperson of Emma’s Place, who called grief counseling her passion. “And we do it all free of service for the Staten Island community. We are year-round, we are not just sporadic – that’s the one thing that we want, to be consistent because people who are grieving need consistency.”

Located at 1076 Forest Avenue, the free-standing center consists of child development specialists, mental health specialists, social workers and nurses. “That’s why we like to offer this to children and their caregivers, and that’s why we need as much support as we can get.”

According to Home Reporter and Brooklyn Spectator Co-Publisher Joshua Schneps, the important mission and service provided by Emma’s Place to the Staten Island community is exactly why the charity is being spotlighted at the inaugural event.

“Emma’s Place has a fantastic mission that we look forward to supporting,” said Schneps. “The raffle from our events have helped support so many grass roots organizations and this Staten Island-based one is a great cause.”

Also in the spotlight will be Kids Against Cancer, a growing not-for-profit organization that, for more than 30 years, has held an annual holiday toy drive for children affected by cancer, and which is now embarking on its greatest endeavor, the construction of a state-of-the-art health and recreational facility where children with cancer can receive their treatment in an environment that is as uplifting as it is beautiful– something both Staten Island University Hospital and the Staten Island Top Women in Business are happy to get behind.

“We look forward to contributing to such a great cause for children in need,” said Schneps. “We’re thrilled to have the raffle benefit two locally-based and active organizations.”

The first annual Staten Island Top Women in Business – sponsored by North Shore LIJ, Staten Island University Hospital, New York Community Bank and Investors Bank – will take place in the Staten Island Hilton’s Nicotra’s Ballroom (1100 South Avenue) on Wednesday, December 3, with networking from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and award presentation and dinner beginning promptly at 7:30 p.m.

Some of Staten Island’s Top Women honorees include Donna Proske, executive director NSLIJ at Staten Island University Hospital, and 39 other fantastic women.

For more information on sponsorship and participation opportunities, contact Lori at 718-238-6600, ext. 110 or lpedone@homereporter.com.

To purchase tickets, visit www.homereporternews.com/events.