Of course, New York Fashion Week is all about the fashion, dahling. But there’s nothing more fashionable — and frankly, more important — than giving back and helping others.
The Stefanski family honoring their wife and mother, Rhonda Stefanski, at Rhonda’s Kiss charity event during NYFW. Photo credit: Jesse Bauer
Rhonda’s Kiss is a cancer nonprofit that aims to assist in the whole care of a cancer patient, working to ease the insurmountable costs associated with a cancer diagnosis. The organization uses a three-pronged approach, focusing on outreach (education, awareness and screening), navigation (medical and home), and patient services (treatment and financial assistance, and emotional support).
On September 10, Rhonda’s Kiss held its third annual New York fundraising event at The Civilian Hotel’s chic Rosevale Cocktail Room. Called “Kiss for Comedy,” the impactful evening raised awareness for Rhonda’s Kiss Cancer Nonprofit and Maimonides Midwood Community Hospital Cancer Center.
The fundraiser featured a special Live and Silent auction — with an array of incredible items up for bidding on, including a special Napa Valley Winery weekend escape; dinners at illustrious VIP hotspots like TAO, Ambra, and Craig’s; El Cristiano tequila; a comedy school package from West Side Comedy; two VIP tickets to The Comedy Store in Los Angeles, a statement piece from Bonheur Jewelry; and others.
Kyle Stefani and Lorenzo Antonucci attend Rhonda’s Kiss NYFW event. Photo credit: Jesse Bauer
A custom painting by actor (and artist) Emile Hirsch, a regular supporter of the organization, was also up for auction to raise money for the charity.
The night was emceed by comedian and I Heart Radio host Chanel Omari of “Chanel In The City.” It was also centered around a standup comedy show curated by headliner Mike Young, with a surprise performance by the legendary celebrity comedian and actor Michael Rapaport, along with a comedy set by Jamie Wolf.
It was an evening of laughs with this lineup, to be sure, but also one of compassion and support.
American Idol finalist Sam Woolf also took the stage and got the crowd going by singing the classic hit “Drift Away.” Executive chairman Marc Stefanski joined him onstage for a round.
Mike Young & Sam Woolf attend Rhonda’s Kiss NYFW event. Photo credit: Jesse Bauer
Of course, with an event that blending celebrity, fashion, and fundraising for the nonprofit, the top draws of the evening may have been the honorees — honored chair Eli Weiss, along with Briana Calin, a young patient survivor.
Donate Now
Whether you were able to attend the event in person or not, donations are still open and you can donate at the link. Proceeds from Rhonda’s ‘Kiss For Comedy’ fundraiser will support non-medical services at the award-winning Maimonides Cancer Center in Brooklyn. Funding needs include Lymphedema/Compression DMEs, which most insurances do not cover; ambulance transportation for patients who need bed-to-bed transportation as they continue to experience difficulties; and education on how to access telehealth/virtual support groups. Other services that Rhonda’s Kiss will help fund include but are not limited to child care; rent; groceries; transportation; wigs; home health aides; holistic therapy, as well as incontinence supplies, and more.
Commenting on the organization’s work, Kyle Stefanski, Rhonda’s son and Executive Director of Rhonda’s Kiss said, “At Rhonda’s Kiss my father, brothers and sisters and I, along with our board and partners are reminded every day that people struggling with cancer need support to maintain their dignity and fight. We are blessed to have the assistance of our national partners such as Maimonides and supporters to continue to build a legacy of helping others fight this terrible disease through the memory of my mother.”
The charity event was presented by Danny A. Abeckaser (director/actor/producer), with Rhonda’s Kiss executive director Kyle Stefanski (actor/producer), executive chairman Marc Stefanski and Rabbi Heshy Augenbaum. Additional notable guests included comedian Sienna Hubert-Ross, DJ Stevie Guttman, DJ Pookie, Darren Weiss, Lorenzo Antonucci, Eustace Montgomery Hicks, Eyal Baumel, models Maryam Zolghadr, Berit Adelaide and Maya Litovsky.
Sergio Farias, Ali Lasky and Chanel Omari attend Rhonda’s Kiss NYFW event. Photo credit: Jesse Bauer
The featured cocktail for the night, aptly named the “Rosevale Kiss,” was an intoxicating blend of American Harvest Vodka, Ketel One Grapefruit Rose, lychee, cranberry, and lime. Guests also enjoyed hors d’oeuvres passed around during the cocktail hour, along with a full open bar with selections ranging from beer and scotch to prosecco and a variety of wines.
Jamie Wolf attends Rhonda’s Kiss NYFW event. Photo credit: Jesse Bauer
About Rhonda’s Kiss
In 2014 Rhonda Stefanski was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer and passed away just a couple of months later. Following her passing, husband Marc Stefanski and his five children wasted little time in their mission to help others and founded “Rhonda’s Kiss.” The family-organized charity continues to celebrate Rhonda’s memory through lifesaving work and giving back to local communities in need. To date, the organization, now spearheaded by her son Kyle Stefanski as the Executive Director, has donated over $2 million to support cancer patients.
Rhonda’s Kiss aims to assist in the whole care of a cancer patient, working to ease the insurmountable costs associated with a cancer diagnosis. The organization uses a three-pronged approach, focusing on outreach (education, awareness and screening), navigation (medical and home), and patient services (treatment and financial assistance, and emotional support). In addition, Rhonda’s Kiss’s main efforts focus on assisting with non-medical needs with items such as covering the cost of rent and utilities, wigs, oncology massage, nutrition, exercise, groceries, childcare, household expenses, utilities, rent, mortgage, ambulance transport, and other transportation costs related to treatment, as well as unexpected costs involved in the holistic care of each patient.
Through their alignment with Maimonides Cancer Center, Brooklyn’s first accredited cancer center in Brooklyn, they have established the Patient Care Program to support patients that need support with the expenses listed above. This program gives extra support to the patients and their families at Maimonides Cancer Center and Maimonides Midwood Community Hospital, which is part of Maimonides Health, as they battle this horrific disease and deal with the devastating factors that affect their everyday lives.
Principal fundraising for Rhonda’s Kiss takes place through national events and local fundraising. In addition to support by the Marc A. and Rhonda L. Stefanski Foundation, Rhonda’s Kiss is well-known for its annual celebrity fundraising events and concerts. Funds raised are distributed to local hospitals where money is raised.
Heshy & Stevie Guttman attend Rhonda’s Kiss NYFW event. Photo credit: Jesse Bauer
About Maimonides Health and Maimonides Cancer Center
Maimonides Health is Brooklyn’s largest healthcare system, serving over 320,000 patients each year through the system’s 3 hospitals, 1,800+ physicians, and more than 80 community-based practices and outpatient centers. The system is anchored by Maimonides Medical Center, one of the nation’s largest independent teaching hospitals and home to centers of excellence in numerous specialties and Maimonides Midwood Community Hospital (formerly New York Community Hospital), a 130-bed adult medical-surgical hospital; and Maimonides Children’s Hospital, Brooklyn’s only children’s hospital and only pediatric trauma center.
Maimonides’ clinical programs rank among the best in the country for patient outcomes, including its Heart and Vascular Institute, Neurosciences Institute, Bone and Joint Center, and Cancer Center. Maimonides is an affiliate of Northwell Health and a major clinical training site for SUNY Downstate College of Medicine. For additional information, please visit www.maimo.org and follow on social media channels LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Maimonides Cancer Center is recognized for excellence and is the first fully accredited cancer center in Brooklyn. Our comprehensive center is home to New York’s top cancer specialists, with a fully accredited Breast Center, Breast Imaging Center of Excellence, and Prostate Center offering the latest minimally invasive approaches such as HIFU. Our patients receive personalized treatment plans from experts who use the most innovative treatment therapies and provide access to clinical trials that advance cancer research and outcomes.
