LEAP Year Raises $500K

This Citizen Contribution was submitted by Melissa Liriano, LEAP’s communications coordinator. 

LEAP (Leadership, Education, and Athletics in Partnership, Inc.) celebrated the 30th anniversary of its annual LEAP Year Event on Feb. 27, 2025. The event, held at the Dixwell Community Q House, was a resounding success and raised over $500,000 to support LEAP’s free programs for underserved children and teens in New Haven.

The evening began with a lively reception, where guests enjoyed complimentary food and drinks provided by The Wine Thief, Black Hog Brewery, and Culinary Concerts, along with live music by The CHILL Project, featuring Dudley Flake of the Monk Family. Guests were served by student volunteers from the Hopkins School Maroon Key Club, adding to the community spirit of the event. 

LEAP Executive Director Henry Fernandez welcomed the crowd, emphasizing the importance of local support in providing opportunities for New Haven’s young people, now more than ever.

Guests heard inspiring speeches from LEAP counselors and alumni, including Counselor Development Fellow Jaquan Brooks and Clinical Coordinator Chantalle Martin, who spoke about the impact LEAP had on their lives as former participants in the program. ​“Having LEAP as a safe space … to be mentored, to become better versions of ourselves, and even to be paid, helped to create an even tighter sense of community for us. LEAP was developing us as leaders of our community,” Chantalle said at the reception.

Jaquan’s journey through LEAP’s children’s and leaders-in-training programs, and Chantalle’s experience as a leader-in-training, junior counselor, and senior counselor, showcased the power of LEAP’s mentorship model and its dedication to fostering leadership and growth. A reception attendee, Lindsey Wong, mentioned, ​“It’s amazing to see the positive impact [LEAP] has had on members of the New Haven community.”

LEAP Board Co-Chairs Ann Baker Pepe and Ed Cleary were honored with the LEAP Community Leadership Award for their combined 60 years of service to the LEAP community.

Following the reception, guests attended intimate dinner conversations of their choosing at various locations throughout Greater New Haven, where they engaged with renowned leaders and experts on a wide range of topics. 

These guest speakers and conversations included a private tour of the Yale Art Gallery with Director Stephanie Wiles; The New York Times columnist Philip Galanes on navigating social dilemmas in today’s America; Dr. Reverend William J. Barber II on fighting economic and social inequality; Emmy award-winning filmmaker Ann Johnson Prum, who showcased her films and broadened her guests’ perspectives on nature; New Haven R&B artist Manny James, who shared his musical talents; Yale President Maurie McInnis on leadership in higher education; and renowned celebrity chef Jacques Pépin, who spoke about his personal experience as a chef and his culinary journey to mastering his craft. 

One attendee described “…the sense of community that arises in these dinners — centering on the significance of LEAP itself, the significant topics in each [dinner], the warmth of the hosts, the deliciously prepared food, and the chance to meet new people,” as her favorite parts of the event.

The $500,000+ raised at LEAP Year Event will have a profound impact on LEAP’s free programs, which serve over 1,600 youth annually. These programs provide a wide range of opportunities and resources, including phonics and literacy development, homework help and academic support, field trips, enrichment activities ranging from chess to African dance, mental health support, college and career counseling, and the distribution of thousands of books to help children in the LEAP program build their home libraries.

LEAP is committed to adapting its programs and training its counselors to meet the evolving needs of the children and families it serves. The success of LEAP Year Event would not have been possible without the generous support of sponsors, including Noble Wealth Advisors of Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, The George Ellis Company, The Scillia Family, Roz & Jerry Meyer, and many more. Their contributions towards LEAP’s $7.3 million annual budget, along with the support of guests of honor, hosts, and everyone who purchased tickets, will help LEAP continue to provide invaluable programs and opportunities for New Haven’s youth.

LEAP is incredibly grateful for the community’s support and looks forward to continuing its mission of empowering New Haven youth for many years to come. In the words of one of its longtime supporters, ​“LEAP always does a wonderful job with this community-wide event. It’s a highlight of New Haven’s philanthropic and social justice landscape.”