New York City on March 7 got a much-needed boost of playful goodness during the annual Hudson River Park Friends luncheon.
Hundreds of attendees gathered at Tribeca 360 for the beloved affair hosted by the Playground Committee. The day hosted by CNN Anchor Abby Phillip and Laura Jarrett, Co-Anchor of “Saturday Today” and NBC News Senior Legal Correspondent, was more than just another gala in Manhattan. Rather, it was a day that showcased one of the most important aspects of New York City which brings together the community and appreciates the landscape.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 07: (L-R) Laura Jarrett, Hudson The Bear, Megan Stackhouse and Lauren Pratapas Legittino attend the Hudson River Park Friends 9th Annual Playground Committee Luncheon at Tribeca 360 on March 07, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Hudson River Park Friends)
Hudson River Park is a 550-acre recreational oasis running from Chambers Street to W 59th Street bringing much-needed, green open space to millions of New Yorkers. Not being a city-managed park, it relies heavily on private donations and community support to keep the region in top shape and a welcoming place for residents and city dwellers and much as the millions of visitors who come to witness the sheer beauty of The Big Apple every year.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 07: (L-R) Tony Simone, Amy Molinero, Heidi Meeker and Andrew Elliston attend the Hudson River Park Friends 9th Annual Playground Committee Luncheon at Tribeca 360 on March 07, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Hudson River Park Friends)
The Playground Committee itself works to gather support from the local community and raise funds for education, play areas, sports courts and fields, children’s programs and more. Since the Playground Committee’s inception, their outreach efforts have made a profound impact, and they have helped to raise $7 million to benefit the Park.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 07: (L-R) Becca Mignanelli, Hanna Richheimer, Caroline Bliss Spencer, Jill Simpson, Wendy Amsterdam, Jenny Miller Dutton, Megan Stackhouse, Hayan Kim Lee, Alexis Tarlow and Lauren Pratapas Legittino attend the Hudson River Park Friends 9th Annual Playground Committee Luncheon at Tribeca 360 on March 07, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Hudson River Park Friends)
This year, the phenomenal luncheon raised over $500k during the 9th annual event hailed by The Playground Committee. Never to miss a beat of fun and modern thrills, the day started off with a lively drum line that showcased performers by local youth musicians as well as inspirational speeches from honorees including Ali Krieger, two-time World Cup Champion, NWSL Champion and ESPN Analyst; Uzma Rawn Dowler, Chief Marketing Officer & Senior Vice President, Global Corporate Partnerships, MLB and the Downtown United Soccer Club with board member Emily Hunt accepted the award.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 07: A view inside the venue during the Hudson River Park Friends 9th Annual Playground Committee Luncheon at Tribeca 360 on March 07, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Hudson River Park Friends)
“I am truly grateful to be here today surrounded by such inspiring women and a community that is dedicated to make a difference,” Krieger reflected while accepting her award in between the festivities.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 07: A view of a drum line during the Hudson River Park Friends 9th Annual Playground Committee Luncheon at Tribeca 360 on March 07, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Hudson River Park Friends)
This years sold-out event that had the thrilling theme of “Game On” saw the likes of special guests including Ally Love, Allison Gollust, Eleonora Srugo (“Selling the City”), New York State Assembly Member Tony Simone, NYC Council Member Erik Bottcher, Maria Dueñas Jacobs, and others.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 07: Ali Krieger speaks onstage during the Hudson River Park Friends 9th Annual Playground Committee Luncheon at Tribeca 360 on March 07, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Hudson River Park Friends)
The Playground Committee Co-Presidents are: Wendy Amsterdam, Jenny Miller Dutton and Jill Simpson. The Luncheon Co-Chairs are: Laura Krey, Hayan Kim Lee, Lauren P. Legittino, Becca Mignanelli, Hanna Richheimer, Caroline Bliss Spencer, Megan Stackhouse and Alexis Tarlow.
The Luncheon Live Auction included priceless lots from Brunello Cucinelli, Saturday Night Live, The TODAY Show, the MLB, the Brooklyn Nets, NY Liberty, Gotham FC and others. Playground Committee Luncheon’s Park Sponsors were BLADE, Downtown United Soccer Club, Elliston Pediatrics and Turner Construction Company.
Playground Committee works to gather support from the local community and raise funds for education, play areas, sports courts and fields, children’s programs and more. Since the Playground Committee’s inception, their outreach efforts have made a profound impact, and they have helped to raise $7 million to benefit the Park.
The statistics show that this is an organization making a positive change in New York City, especially for our kids. Young sports enthusiasts have a tough time in a city where open space is at a premium, court space is limited, and public athletic fields are in constant demand. Hudson River Park is such a vital athletic resource. Hudson River Park’s free programs, volunteer opportunities, countless recreational spaces and places to relax and be surrounded by nature help build healthy communities and thriving neighborhoods.
The funds raised at HRPK Friends’ Playground Committee Luncheon support the Park’s athletic courts and fields, playgrounds, family-friendly programs, environmental education, stewardship, sustainability and more. This includes renovating fields and supporting the maintenance required to ensure that kids enjoy well-maintained grounds and facilities for practice, play and competition in their sports.
The Park’s green spaces promote creativity and imagination. This unstructured style of play allows kids to interact meaningfully with their surroundings. Children can think more freely, design their own activities and approach the world in inventive ways.
With the arrival of the new Pier 97 playground, the Park now has five innovative play spaces promoting creativity and imagination. Their popularity means constant upkeep, including the 4,000-square-foot Pier 26 Science Playground that opened last year where children can climb, slide and be inspired by wildlife and the Hudson River habitat. This much-lauded play space was made possible with the help of the Playground Committee and the $3.5 million fundraising campaign successfully completed by Hudson River Park Friends.
For more information on how to give and be a part of this amazing cause in New York City that is truly making a difference, please visit HERE.
