1. Robin Hood Foundation Gala
New York
#1 Benefit
About 4,000 people gathered at the Jacob K. Javits Center to help raise $61.2 million, making it the city’s largest single-night fund-raiser. The foundation, which fights poverty in New York, announced an initiative for research in brain science intended to make the city an “Early Learning Metropolis.” Board member Katie Couric hosted the evening, which included performances by Usher, the Zac Brown Band, and comedian Jim Gaffigan. During the event, the Empire State building, the Bloomberg building, the Nasdaq billboard in Times Square, and Madison Square Garden were lighted in the foundation’s signature green hue. Other events taking place the same day as the gala included a Nasdaq opening bell ceremony with the Children's Aid Society; PesiCo’s giveaway of tickets to a Yankees game to 10,000 people served by Robin Hood-funded organizations; and BlackRock-sponsored concerts at Terminal 5 and Irving Plaza that drew younger donors. Next: May 2017