The Financial Times hosts ‘Sustainability Awards’ in London: Let’s Talk About the Other Kind of “Green”
New York, Tokyo, London – these are not only great cities, but also some of the world’s most influential financial capitals. This Summer 2013, the London Financial Times and International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group, are honoring global financial institutions that are not only leaders in finance, but also pioneers in sustainability.
The FT/IFC Sustainable Conference 2013 will be the 8th such annual award ceremony. Held in London at thePark Lane Hotel, awards will be presented to the trailblazers in the following categories:
- Sustainable Bank of the Year
- Sustainable Investor of the Year
- Sustainable Investment of the Year
- Technology in Sustainable Finance
- Achievement in Inclusive Business
Nominations are due by March 15th, 2013. To see if your organization is eligible for consideration, entry forms and criteria can be found here.
ABGPrint.com is proud to have earned partnerships with many premier financial institutions, such as JP Morgan, Deutsche Bank, and Credit Suisse since Advanced Business Group’s founding 23 years ago. ABGPrint is a graphics services firm with a wide range of capabilities. Visual materials and presentations will always be needed in the financial sector, and as our partners commit to increasing their sustainability, so does ABG.
Our environmental business philosophy revolves around two initiatives: responsibility and sustainability. ABGPrint.com demonstrates responsibility by using the most ecofriendly products available, including 100% post-consumer waste recycled stocks and soy-based inks. Our commitment to sustainability is evident in Advanced Business Group’s recognition by the Wildlife Society, American Forest & Paper Association,Society of American Foresters, and The Longleaf Alliance, and more.
Substantiality in the financial sector is a cause near and dear to the leadership at ABGPrint.com and everyone at the company will be excitedly watching for the FT/IFC Sustainable Finance nominee short-list to be announced in April 2013. When Price-Waterhouse Cooper presents the envelopes at the London gala dinner, the ABG team will be eager to congratulate the winning financial visionaries and their commitment to a sustainable international community.
“Palace Guards” Photo by K. Beard of ABGPrint.com
Yves Saint Laurent is Chic this Fashion Week with Ready-to-Wear Books
New York Fashion Week Begins on February 7th 2013
What do Nautica, Tommy Hilfiger, Nichole Miller, and Michael Kors have in common, besides being among fashion’s biggest names? They are all gearing up for New York Fashion Week 2013! Twice a year, instead of venturing to the European fashion capitals Paris and Milan, fashionistas, retail buyers, and designers converge on the Lincoln Center to watch fierce models work the runway and show off New York City’s finest couture styles.
As the premier houses prepare for the fashion industry’s “Super Bowl” equivalent to start on February 7th 2013, independent designers and major labels alike are hunting for bold and exciting ways to stand out without breaking the bank or losing their minds.
ABGPrint.com to the rescue! This season, ABGPrint is working with fashion industry’s leaders, including the brilliant Parisian design house, Yves Saint Laurent, to create customized look books, brochures, accessory books, and buyer’s guides. The company also specializes in printing catalogues that feature ready-to-wear collections of accessories and clothing for the next season. ABGPrint.com’s facility is equipped with numerous security features to guarantee that YSL’s 2013 collections straight from Paris were completely confidential during printing and permanently deleted after delivery.
ABGPrint.com’s client services team has been trained and battle tested in the fashion industry’s specialized needs. Does your couture collection need to be printed on special European sized paper stock? No problem! Need your programs delivered and distributed to chairs at the site of your fashion show? ABGPrint has your back! Need to keep your Spring 2013 sketches safe from prying eyes? Print with confidence with our totally secure facility!
ABGPrint.com, NYC’s go-to printer
Keeping our clients calm with trusted, quality printed material is ABGPrint.com expertise, built on more than 23 years of experience. Situated in the heart of the NYC’s Fashion district, we can anticipate your business needs and save you time, headache, and heartache during the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2013 dash to the finish line. Discover what our partners Yves Saint Laurent and Hugo Boss already know: ABGPrint.com’s printed materials rule the runway.
ABGPrint.com Attends the Reserve Aid Gala, 2012
On October 17th, 2012, the ABGPrint.com team attended the Seventh Annual Reserve Aid Gala at the iconic Grand Hyatt hotel in Midtown. The event marked Reserve Aid’s seventh year anniversary since its inception in 2005, and showcased the vision and dedication of the young charity. ABGPrint.com was happy to donate graphic design, printing, and binding for the event and continues to support Reserve Aid in its campaign of generosity and service for America’s heroes in need.
“Reserve Aid Gala” by K. Beard of ABGPrint.com
The evening began with a silent auction organized by Mori Gonzalez of JP Morgan that featured stunning items like a signed Warren Bennis jersey, jewelry designed by David Yurman, and Caribbean vacations. After the cocktail hour, guests were invited into the main ballroom for dinner and were greeted by Reserve Aid’s Chairman and Founder, Mr. Lucas Detor of Morgan Stanley. Lucas shared a few words in which he expressed his passion and commitment for the work being done by Reserve Aid to provide financial assistance to the families of Reservists and National Guard service members who are serving or have recently served in full time deployment. While he celebrated the determined efforts of the charity and its benefactors over the last several years, Lucas was also careful to point out the growing needs of service members throughout the country and abroad. One heartbreaking statistic that Lucas mentioned compared the number of United States combat casualties to the number of post-deployment suicides that have occurred over the last seven years. According to the numbers, there have been just over 3,600 deaths in Iraq since the war began, compared to a staggering 2,700 suicides over the same period of time. “Seventy percent of veterans suffer from some form of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and there have been almost as many deaths from suicide as from combat,” he said.
“Reserve Aid Cocktail Hour” by K. Beard of ABGPrint.com
The chairman’s sobering remarks were followed by a presentation from Reserve Aid’s board member, Mr. John Withrow of Macquarie, who showed guests a video testimonial of Sergeant Justin Garcia. In over twenty years of military service Sergeant Garcia had served two deployments in Iraq. During one of these deployments, Garcia was severely injured by a roadside bomb and suffered a traumatic brain injury along with PTSD. Upon returning home, he was unable to return to his job as a city bus driver and found himself in unforgiving circumstances. It was through the help of Reserve Aid and its financial support that Sergeant Garcia was able to pull himself back onto his feet and overcome his PTSD. Garcia’s testimonial was followed by footage of the most recent Iron Man Championship Triathlon in New York – one of many fundraisers that Reserve Aid has participated in to help raise money for its cause.
The evening culminated with a beautiful speech from the featured guest, Vice Admiral Robin Braun of the United States Navy. Vice Adm. Braun has been a naval aviator since 1981 and has been awarded the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, the Battle Efficiency Award, and CNO Safety Award. In August 2012, Vice Adm. Braun became the Chief of Navy Reserve on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington, D.C.. The Vice Admiral expressed her tremendous gratitude toward Reserve Aid, and noted that Reserve Aid is the only organization that provides grants and financial support to Navy Reserve service members. In her own words, “The immediate financial assistance that you all provide, with childcare medical bills, you name it, it goes so much farther and means so much more than the numbers on the check, it means someone cares.”
“ABGPrint at Reserve Aid Gala”
After the Vice Admiral’s speech, Executive Director Polly Weidenkopf presented Miss Robin Braun with a United States flag that had been planted in the summit of the historic Mount Suribachi, Iwo Jima, along with sand from “Black Beach”, where marines had landed in 1945. As the evening drew to a close, Colin M. Adams of the Board of Directors gave a few closing remarks in which he recalled his friend Lucas Detor’s vision for Reserve Aid at its founding. Seven years later, Reserve Aid continues to dramatically affect the lives of the men and women who have voluntarily put themselves in harm’s way to protect our freedom. In its continued support of local humanitarian institutions, ABGPrint.com congratulates Reserve Aid on its seven-year anniversary and the far-reaching success of its compassion and generosity.
To find out more about Reserve Aid and to donate to soldiers in need, visit: http://reserveaid.org/donate
Find Out Where You Can Vote in NYC Today: ABGPrint.com, Excited for Election Day
It’s Presidential Election Day in the United States! The ABGPrint.com staff and many other New York Metro area residents are eager to cast their ballots today.
The past week has been very hard for the eastern seaboard of the United States due to the damage Hurricane Sandy inflicted in its wake. Here in New York City, people have and are still suffering from the storm’s effects. Also, many homes and buildings have undergone structural damage or are still without power. However, this devastating natural disaster can’t stop the democratic process. Diligent pollsters have set up polling stations in alternative locations where necessary for everyone who wants to vote, whether or not they have been affected by the storm. Be sure to check the New York City Government’s voting information website to see if your polling place has relocated due to the Hurricane. To find out where your polling place is located, simply click on the link above and enter your street address. If you need any more help, or have any voting related questions, call 1.866.VOTE.NYC. This government hotline will be fully staffed all day today.
Voting in this year’s election is as important as ever. Polls are open in New York from 6am-9pm. If you need additional information regarding NYC voting, visit http://vote.nyc.ny.us. Good luck braving the cold on this chilly November Tuesday – casting your vote may be the most important thing you do today.
Fulfill your civic duty. Stand up and be counted!
ABGPrint.com Social Butterflies! Discovering Cutting-Edge ADOBE DPS Tools With Social Media
This morning, @PrintingNews tweeted a link to this press release on MyPrintResourse.com announcing that WoodWing is launching an application that works with Adobe’s Digital Publishing Suite (DPS). The Public beta version of WoodWing’s Software, called “Smart DPS”, will enable designers and publishers to create digital publications quickly and easily. Want to try Smart DPS with free beta version trial? More information can be found at smartdps.com!
@PrintingNews Tweet on 10/25/12
News of new features and cutting edge plug-ins to Adobe tools are guaranteed to get ABGPrint.com’s Midtown Manhattan office buzzing. Our tech-savvy Prepress Graphics Services Staff, our on-the-ball Production Department, and our always knowledgeable Client Services Team are always swapping articles, industry publications, and social media updates about developments in the field of their passion: printing.
Here at ABGPrint.com, we are always up-to-date on the latest updates and industry standards. We work almost exclusively with the Adobe Creative Suite, both internally and with clients. When you send your print ready PDFs to us, you know that your work is being handled by top notch industry professionals with decades of experience in prepress graphic services, printing, and binding. You also know that our staff has their hands on industry leading software. When you print with the ABGPrint.com team, you get total customer care and cutting edge technology.
Give us a call at 212-398-1010 or visit us on the web at abgprint.com to find out how we can bring our 22+ years of industry expertise to your next project!
ABGPrint.com at the New York City Rescue Mission’s 140th Anniversary Celebration
“NYCRM Proclamation” by K.Beard of ABGPrint.com
Despite the rain Tuesday night, I decided to walk from ABGPrint.com’s Midtown office to 57th street where the Calvary Baptist Church was hosting the 140th anniversary of the founding of the New York City Rescue Mission. As I passed commuters whose tired expressions anticipated the comfort of home, I heard the jingle of coins in a paper cup. It was a familiar sound, one that knows no season, and like I had done a million times before I buried the sound neatly under heavy folds of pragmatism. After years of living in Manhattan I had become good enough at this practice that the sound had begun to blend nicely into the habitual din of the city. But on Tuesday night, perhaps because of my destination, I became acutely aware of the muffling process and the sound echoed through me like a police siren in spite of my best efforts not to listen.
In true Dickensian style, the chill of that sound didn’t leave me until I had settled into the pews of Calvary Baptist Church. I had arrived a few hours early in the hope of helping the Mission with setup, but upon my arrival a church volunteer informed me that the staff wouldn’t be there for another few hours. Waiting in the final row of the nave, I was transported back to my days in Catholic Elementary School where the warmth and tranquility of the church interior had first made its impression on me. Both then and now, the impression was characterized by a deep sense of shelter, one that transcends the physical structure of a building. I felt loved, safe, and shielded from despair. It had been nearly a decade since I last called myself a Christian, but that sense of shelter resurfaced with a twinge of nostalgia and graced me with the realization that it is this very thing that has drawn the weak and weary to church steps for centuries. Needless to say, it was this feeling of shelter that would define the evening and the institution that was being celebrated. In the next few hours I would come to experience the indescribable generosity and empathy that characterizes the New York City Rescue Mission and its campaign against homelessness, hunger and despair.
When the Mission’s volunteers finally did arrive, I offered my help to some of their representatives but they very kindly refused (as I should have expected). These men, some of whom were in the Mission’s current transient program, had a glow of kindness to them that filled the chapel’s empty corners. I reintroduced myself to Executive Director Craig Mayes and Spokesperson Joe Little expecting that they had forgotten who I was, but both men greeted me with warm and genuine recognition.
They were relaxed and remarkably joyous, and I was reminded of the disgruntled faces of the Midtown commuters I had passed earlier. I wondered if perhaps the difference with Craig and Joe was that they weren’t trying to get anywhere, and in fact, were already home.
By seven o’clock the main chamber of the church had filled with donors, supporters, volunteers, friends, and family. I didn’t notice at first, but in time I came to recognize the same tremendous, celebratory joy in the
Katherine, Anthony, Ola & Michael of ABGPrint.com congregation that I had seen in Craig and Joe. I felt as if I was a part of a great tradition, a secret community of grace and gratitude that had been meeting like this for nearly 150 years. I was sitting among some of some of New York’s most gentle souls, and despite feeling like I was “the least of these”, allowed myself to bask in the welcoming and generous atmosphere.
Soon the rest of the ABGPrint.com team arrived and we took our seats. The proceedings began with welcoming remarks from Joe Little, who told the story of the Mission’s founder Jerry McAuley and his miraculous transformation from drunken thief to selfless philanthropist. Although I had heard and read the story before, Joe Little’s retelling reminded me of just how human the Mission’s intentions were and are. As Joe pointed out, Jerry and Maria McAuley were outcasts when they started the Mission, but the poor empathized with their plight and were restored. I imagined the chatter in the mess hall during those first days at the “Helping Hand for Men” – and the way it must have echoed with the same joy that I had come to associate with the current Mission and its affiliates.
After Joe’s introductory remarks, things were underway. A choir of women from the Walter Hoving Home graced the evening with a musical tribute to the Mission and its legacy of healing. Their gentle voices carried a message of hope and appreciation that was undeniably moving. Their song “Greater Than Grace” was followed by an introductory prayer by Ed Morgan, the President at the sibling Bowery Mission, and a Proclamation by Seth Diamond on behalf of Mayor Bloomberg and the city of New York. In an inspiring display of support, the Commissioner of Homeless Services proclaimed October 2nd as New York City Rescue Mission Day, much to the exuberance of the congregation.
Next to approach the pulpit was Steve Gilkenson, the former Rescue Mission Program Director, who told the emotional story of his fall from “Park Avenue to park bench,” and spoke of how the Mission granted him retribution. Steve’s remarks, like those that would follow, trembled with a profound gratitude for the Mission and its unending compassion. When it came time to say farewell to the Mission’s most recent Executive Director Jim VarnHagen and his wife Anita VarnHagen, the gratitude of the speakers transcended words. Truly beautiful speeches from Bill
Dodge of the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions, Perry Jones of the Capital City Rescue Mission, and Bill Osl of the NYCRM’s Board of Trustees painted a picture of the VarnHagens that bordered on saintly. It was clear to me that Jim and Anita were incredibly special people. They seemed to fully embody the compassion, dedication, generosity, humility, and joy that have drawn thousands to 90 Lafayette Street over many years.
“Jim and Anita” by K.Beard of ABGPrint.com
When it came their turn to speak, the VarnHagens surpassed my expectations. They were humble, generous of themselves, humorous and endearing. With his gentle Midwestern accent, Jim told the story of the VarnHagen’s call to service while they were living in Wheaton, Illinois. The couple had just recently been married, and Jim had been offered a ministry position in Chicago. As the story goes, they were sitting in their living room debating whether or not to relocate to Chicago when they decided to ask the lord for guidance. Later that afternoon, they got a call from the New York City Rescue Mission were asked to come to New York. They had gotten their answer. The rest is truly history.
Side by side at the pulpit, Jim and Anita VarnHagen seemed to personify the shelter they had provided at the Mission. I imagined them as parents to the thousands of lost souls – parents who love unconditionally and give of themselves completely. Their story of evangelism and compassion described their call to ministry and the vocation of service that came from a higher power, and Jim explained that God’s orders to go into the world and preach wasn’t much different from the orders he had followed during his time in the air force. “It’s been our pleasure and our privilege to answer the call,” Jim said.
As I listened to Jim’s speech, I began to reflect on the idea of “the call”. Often when people of humanitarian vocations describe their motivation there is a mention of a “call”, an unequivocal sound that pierces through all the noise of life and leads a person to their purpose. I wondered what this call might sound like. Does it sound coins jingling in a cup? Either way, I felt I understood that people like Jim VarnHagen make an active choice to listen. Rather than burying the sound in the quest for self‐betterment, they open their ears to the call of human beings in need, and once they’ve heard the sound it stays with them. I realized that the sound is ever‐present and that it takes a special type of person to really tune in and listen.
After Jim and Anita were wished farewell, it came time to inaugurate the new Executive Director of the Mission Dr. Craig Mayes. Although the hour was late, Dr. Mayes came up to the stage, stood on the steps of the Altar and told a story about a man named Art. Art, he explained, was a second‐generation immigrant who throughout his young life had been nothing short of extraordinary. He was gifted and intelligent, and attained a level of success that allowed him to start a family out in Michigan. Unfortunately however, Art began to abuse alcohol, and before long found himself in a lot trouble. “It got so bad,” Craig explained, “That for a time his wife used to send their two daughters out to find Art who would disappear for days at a time. And sometimes they would find him and he wouldn’t come home.” Over time, Art drifted away from his family until he was completely alone. He found himself homeless in New York City, and lived like that for at least a decade. Then the day came when he stumbled into the New York City Rescue Mission still drunk and stinking of the streets. All of his former glory was lost. Nevertheless, over time Art was slowly restored through scripture and became overwhelmed by the story of Jesus Christ. This transformation sustained his progress until he graduated from the program and began the road to recovery. Art did recover, and eventually was able to reconnect with his family. By this time his daughters had gotten married and given birth, and so Art had ten grandchildren he had never met. One of Art’s grandson’s was willing to get up early and go fishing with Art, and as they drifted on the peaceful water on those mornings, Art would talk about Jesus and his grandson would listen. This grandson, as it turns out, is none other than Craig Mayes himself. Craig’s remarkable story of his grandfather and the New York City Rescue Mission is the reason he gave for his personal relationship with those in need. “When I look at you,” he said to the guys in the audience currently enrolled in the Mission’s rehabilitation program, “I see you, but I also see Art.”
I couldn’t help but be amazed at the way Craig connected to those he was helping. At that moment I had no doubt that the Mission would be safe in his hands, and its legacy of compassion would endure. Like Jim before him,
“Craig Mayes” by K.Beard of ABGPrint.com
Craig had listened to the call of people in need, a call uttered by his grandfather decades earlier that had resonated across time and space to lead Craig to the door of the Mission. Regardless of one’s religious leanings, the New York City Rescue Mission is a testament to the power and grace of the human spirit. It is a place where compassion is put into action, where the joy of community gives hope to the hopeless, and where human beings take the time to listen to each other. After 140 years, the energy that drives the Mission is more powerful than ever. Over the next few months the Mission will continue to expand, and for the first time will offer accommodations to women as well as men. I was invigorated by the Mission’s plans for the future, and the knowledge that such a beacon of hope, empathy, and humanity is as resolute in its vision and execution as ever.
On my way home from the church that feeling of shelter lingered with me, and for the first time in quite a while I began to listen. Not to the cacophony of the city or to solicitations from passersby, but to that part of me that is most connected to people. It’s the part of me, of all of us, that wants to reach out and help every person we see in spite of the voice that rationalizes the call of the needy and packs it away to a place where it cannot inflict the discomfort of responsibility. It is this part of us that is glorified and celebrated by the New York City Rescue Mission, that is exemplified and embodied by the Mission’s leaders, and finally (and most importantly), that is converted into action at the Mission. The spirit of this institution is undeniably contagious and has helped it to endure and flourish since its founding in 1872. I hope to continue to contribute my efforts along with the ABGPrint.com team to strengthen the New York City Rescue Mission and to pay tribute to one of New York’s most significant and iconic communities. We wish the NYCRM the best of luck in this next chapter of its incredible history.
ABGPrint.com and the NYCRM: Interviewing Dr. Craig Mayes
MM: So can you tell us more about what motivates you?
“Dr. Craig Mayes”
Photo by K. Beard of ABGPrint.com
CM: Sure. There are a lot of things that inspire me. You know, Mother Theresa was in a 60 minutes interview where the interviewer challenged her by pointing out that although her work in Calcutta is great it’s just a drop in the ocean. She looked right at the camera and said, “You’re right but if I don’t put in my drop then that’s one drop less”. I think witnessing that accident and witnessing the poverty in India were the moments when God lit a fire in me to personalize people in need. I began treating them as though they might be my son or daughter. One of Jesus’ teachings says, “Whatever you do to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you do to me”. Often that is misquoted. The first word that’s left out is brothers, which connects humanity relationally and reminds us that we are all brothers and sisters. The second word that is left out is one, which asks us not to be overwhelmed by the masses of people in need and just do what we can within our means. When I meet someone now, anything that would normally separate us ‐ our education, our background, our ethnicity – doesn’t matter. I tell the guys here that we’re all in recovery. Some of us didn’t go as deep, but were all recovering from something.
MM: You’re story is tremendous. Were you always interested in philanthropy?
CM: Well I was born in Detroit, family of six, and as a young man I was into politics, debate and the like. I actually helped get Richard Nixon re‐elected, but then Watergate happened and I became disenchanted with politics. I got my masters in theology, but I didn’t want to go into the church, so I got another masters in counseling and spent time in an academic setting counseling students. Unfortunately I felt this was a bit too sterile for me, and so I became a teacher at the local church. It was during that time that I witnessed the accident, and soon after travelled to India. I saw suffering and poverty on an unimaginable scale. When you see two year olds naked walking through traffic in a city of ten million and no one is paying attention to them, you feel compelled to rescue every single one. After some time I started a non‐profit and after a few years we had built an orphanage, a hospital, a school, a training center for widows and a home for the elderly who have been abandoned. The non‐profit has raised millions for charities in India and sends teams there three or four times a year.
KB: Incredible.
CM: So you can see there was a decade of compassion growing in me. It got harder for me to be comfortable with my situation when I know Americans are in the five percent in the world. In 2007 I realized I had to let go of my comfortable suburban life in Michigan with a big house and all this stuff and move to New York City where I would live among need. The idea came to my wife first. I argued with her for a year about moving. Then I asked God, “If I’m going to do this I need a burning bush.” He gave me about twenty of them and I kept blowing them out.
MM: (Laughs) Sounds like a pyromaniac.
CM: Exactly. So eventually my family and I came to New York to start a church but a church that wasn’t focusing on Sundays. Our slogan was we’re not going to get people into church; we’re going to be the church. We began working with pantries and volunteering with the New York City Rescue Mission. I served dinner here at least once a month. Then a few years back when the executive director said he wanted to retire he suggested that I take over. My initial reaction was, “No way that’s not what I came to New York for.” But I was open to the idea, and I submitted my resume. I heard nothing for a year and then I got a call last fall and the rest is history. My wife Chris is basically running the church now. I still teach there two or three times a month, but everything had to curtail because running the mission is a full time job.
MM: What kind of work do you do for the Mission?
CM: Most of my job here is to raise money and administrate things, but I also have to roll up my sleeves on a regular basis and be with the guys we’re serving here or I’ll lose my mind. I teach and do counseling with the guys we’re serving and it reinforces the fact that any one of them could be my brother. It’s about seeing the value and dignity in every person. And when I’m asking for money, it’s not just for paychecks; those dollars translate into what matters most – a chance for redemption for people.
MM: Well we could certainly use more people In New York like you.
AN: Do you have any specific stories about individual situations of the people you encounter here? I think a lot of the reluctance and judgment associated with transients stems from the fact that your average person can’t understand how someone gets to the point of homelessness.
CM: Definitely. I have one story about a guy who just graduated. Now before the guys in the program graduate I invite them up to my office to get to know their story better. One story was about a guy from the Dominican Republic whose parents were divorced. He was raised by his mom in the Dominican Republic, but his dad lived in Brooklyn. Then one day he got a call from his dad asking him to come live and work in Brooklyn. When he got to Brooklyn however, it turned out that his dad had totally lied to him. The truth was that his dad was dying of cancer, didn’t have any resources, and hoped to have his son as a caretaker. The son did the best he could but his dad unfortunately passed away. At that point he was totally alone, trying his best to work, but times were hard. He ended up as a busboy in a restaurant and would often party with his co‐workers. He soon found himself abusing alcohol and drugs. Obviously it affected his work and he was fired. Without any money he couldn’t pay rent on his dad’s apartment and was subsequently evicted. He told me he remembered that on the day he was kicked out, he didn’t know what to do, and so he decided to go to Coney Island. While he was there watching the waves crashing in, he realized how alone he really was. No family, no money, and his life in shambles. He said, “I just looked at the sky and cried out to God ‘If you’re real can you please help me?’” He turned around to leave and bumped into a police officer who asked him what he was doing out on the beach. He explained that he was homeless and luckily the cop drove him in the patrol car to our door. Now that’s not every story, but he came in and spent a night. We took him through a three night trial program and now twelve months later he’s sober and has some job possibilities lined up. We’ve been helping him in the process of finding a job, but he will eventually find one and his life will begin to change.
KB: How old is he?
CM: Well he was in his upper twenties when he came so he’s probably in his early Thirties now.
KB: What did a typical day look like for him after the three‐day trial period?
CM: Applicants to the program essentially commit to several elements. The first is helping with labor here at the mission: kitchen, security, reception, overseeing transients, etc. They also immediately start the twelve‐step program, which includes assignments such as writing personal essays or even making phone calls to apologize to people and ask for forgiveness. Secondly, there’s a spiritual part of the program. It’s basically a discipleship program during which a counselor walks them through the basics of Christian faith. You don’t have to be a Christian to come into the program, but you do have to be open to receive Christian instruction. We’ve had Muslim men who have come through the program. Some of them end up converting while others do not, but there’s no expectation beyond the fact that we ask everyone to partake in mandatory bible study. Finally they have learning center time several times a week where they acquire skills for using computers and software. Many transients who lack a high school diploma are able to train for the G.E.D. in our learning center with the intention of taking the exam upon graduation. Then depending on where they are in the program we help them to put together a resume and start the job search. If there are outstanding legal or immigration issues we help them with those as well. It’s not boot camp, but it’s pretty rigorous. We find often that giving the guys a disciplined structure helps to get them back on track. Sometimes we’ll have guys get overwhelmed and leave after two or three weeks, but that’s fairly rare. For instance there was one forty‐year‐old white guy who came in the same time as me. He was educated, had a graduate degree, had a house and family in Bergen County, and was pretty well off. Nevertheless, because of alcohol, he had lost his job, family, and his home. He really looked like hell when he first came in but with some detox he slowly began to recover. I just talked to him yesterday and it’s been a hundred days without a drop of alcohol after decades of abusing it. That is the kind of thing we see regularly.
“Dr. Mayes at NYCRM 140th Anniversary”
Photo by K. Beard of ABGPrint.com
AN: How do you distinguish between transient and program guys?
CM: Anyone who comes in can apply for any openings at the mission. If their counselor gives approval they can undergo a three‐day trial period. This ensures that there is no false advertising. We want to make sure they know what they are getting themselves into. Simultaneously, we assess whether or not we have the resources to help them. You know mental illness is very common among the homeless and so someone who is mentally ill is beyond our ability to help aside from a bed and something to eat. So there’s assessment for both parties.
MM: Do you have more people during the winter months?
CM: Yes. One of the sad things is that we have to do a lottery for beds. During the winter in this cafeteria we’ll serve around 240 meals every evening, but then the guys get a token and go up to chapel and wait. If their number is called they get a bed, but if not that have to leave. Unfortunately because of construction we have an even smaller number of beds available. If we can’t offer a bed in the mission we try to get them one somewhere else in a shelter. But if you talk to the guys they hate the shelters because they’re dangerous. They get robbed, they get raped, they get beaten and the city can’t handle it. So we try to get them a bed but pretty often they go out on their own and try to survive. They go to Penn Station or Grand Central for the night.
KB: That’s too bad. When will construction be done?
CM: We started construction on June 4th with the goal of finishing within 18 months but it’s hard to say. There are surprises like asbestos, which can shut everything down.
MM: I’m sure. So how do you hope the mission will grow?
CM: One of the advantages of being in New York is the diversity of the city. I think it’s important that we keep all demographics informed about what we’re doing here. This opens the door for people who want to get involved, specifically in terms of fund‐raising. Unfortunately, today, we spend 50% of the money we get on public relations, which includes mass mailing. Those get us fifty dollars here or there from generous people in the New York area, but know that there are a lot more resources in the city. There are a lot of people who want to give back, but want to first make sure that they are donating to an institution that’s doing the right thing. We need to get in touch with those people. I try however I can to find platforms for spreading the word; churches, civic organizations, reporters, etc. I’d like to share my vision and my passion for this so that in ten years I can say that only one percent of our donations comes from mass mailing and that the majority comes from bigger entities. Luckily we have a great staff here. This allows me to get away from my desk and meet with people to spread the word and raise money. I’d like to even get people to India; because once they experience the poverty for themselves they will want to become partners. I don’t even have to ask, they become so eager to help. There was this one couple from Texas who came to India and visited the orphanage a few years ago. I explained to them that there wasn’t enough money to send the kids to college. When they came back to the U.S. they started a scholarship fund and now every single one of the 200 children in the orphanage has a guaranteed scholarship when they graduate. Now it’s not like I’m paying for the scholarships myself, but spreading the word has led to a situation where now the kids have a chance for an education. I encourage people to come down and serve meals or tutor in the learning center; because once that gets your heart you will want to be a partner.
MM: Absolutely. Well you certainly have an incredible message and a courageous vision. We’re very glad you’ve taken the time to share your story with us.
CM: You’re welcome anytime. I’m glad you’re helping me spread the word. October second is our anniversary. I hope to see you all there. God Bless!
ABGPrint.com happily attended the New York City Rescue Mission’s 140th Anniversary Celebration on October 2nd 2012. Part 3 of the New York Rescue Mission series will document ABGPrint.com’s experience at the NYCRM Celebration.Press Release: ABGPrint.com Invites all to Celebrate the New York City Rescue Mission’s 140th Anniversary on October 2nd 2012
“Michael J. Mulligan and Dr. Craig Mayes”
Photo by Katherine Beard of ABGPrint.com
New York, NY, 2/14/12 — Please join the New York City Rescue Mission (NYCRM) in celebrating their historic 140th Anniversary on October 2nd at 7:30pm in Calvary Baptist Church, 123 West 57th Street, right across from Carnegie Hall. At this celebration of America’s first mission, guests will say a fond thank you and farewell to Mr. Jim and Anita VarnHagen, who have lead the Mission tirelessly and effectively over the past 22 years. The event will also serve as the official welcome to NYCRM’s new Executive Director, Dr. Craig A. Mayes.
“As a proud supporter of the New York City Rescue Mission for the past twelve years, ABGPrint.com is proud to both attend and promote this event,” said ABGPrint.com President & CEO Michael J. Mulligan, “I have had the honor of both a wonderful friendship with former director Mr. VarnHagen and was very excited after first meeting Dr. Mayes. The Mission is in fabulous hands.”
Light refreshments will be served at the event. Please RSVP today or by September 28th by sending an email to celebrate@nycrescue.org.
Event Details
What: New York City Rescue Mission’s 140th, Anniversary
Where: Calvary Baptist, 123 W. 57th St.
When: Oct 2, 2012 7:30 PM
RSVP: By September 28th, 2012, to celebrate@nycrescue.org
About the NYCRM
The New York City Rescue Mission (NYCRM) is America’s first rescue mission. Founded in 1872, the NYCRM’s mission has remained the same ever since: to provide spiritual hope, food, clothing, and shelter to people in crisis in New York City. NYCRM overnight guests are offered nutritious meals, sleeping quarters, guidance, medical and social service support and a clean, secure environment. Long-term residents at the NYCRM are offered career development assistance, financial skills training, internet access, and GED preparation courses. The men in the Mission’s Recovery Program also receive weekly individual and group counseling, as well as a twelve step program driven by Bible study and discipleship (Source: www.nycrescue.org/).
About ABGPrint.com
ABGPrint.com (Advanced Business Group, Inc.) is the leading document printing and distribution company for businesses in New York City. Since its founding in 1992 by President and CEO
Michael J. Mulligan, NYC businesses have used ABGPrint.com to seamlessly print, bind, finish and deliver documents quickly and perfectly for over 20 years. Conveniently located in Midtown Manhattan, the company is proud to empower their clients to complete their jobs end to end in as little as 4 hours, and does so 7 days a week as the premier 24 hour printer in New York City. For more information, visit www.abgprint.com or view latest company blog postings.
ABGPrint.com Celebrates the Good Works of the New York City Rescue Mission
When Michael invited me along on his visit to the New York City Rescue Mission I was thrilled. Michael J. Mulligan, President & CEO of ABGPrint.com, has supported the NYCRM since 1992, and it was a great honor for him to get to meet and discuss how the ABGPrint.com team could give back to an organization whose mission means so much to him.
For years I had passed the mission’s downtown headquarters, unaware that it was in fact the country’s first and oldest emergency shelter for the homeless. As a sophomore at NYU, I had lived in student housing across the street from the mission’s entrance and would often pass the line of men gathered outside the entrance waiting for a meal and a bed to sleep in. Although there was always a sense of mystery and reverence surrounding the building’s exterior, it wasn’t until I visited that I began to appreciate the magnitude and significance of NYCRM and its compassionate campaign to help transient New Yorkers in need.
Last Wednesday morning when Michael, Katherine and I visited the mission, we were greeted by the Executive Director himself, Dr. Craig Mayes. Dr. Mayes has worked in the ministry for over thirty years. After serving with charities in both Detroit and in India, Dr. Mayes was called to New York City to serve as Executive Director of the NYRM in 2012.
“Michael J. Mulligan and Dr. Craig Mayes” Photo by Katherine Beard of ABGPrint.com
When the three of us arrived, Craig invited us down into the cafeteria for our meeting. As soon as I stepped in, I began to understand the warmth and comfort that the mission is known for. This place is full of staff and volunteers who wanted nothing more than to help other people. Once Michael, Katherine and I began to talk to Craig Mayes, it was clear to me that he was the perfect choice to the man to lead and positively impact the New York Rescue Mission.
Dr. Mayes explained that he was inspired to become involved with charity work when he witnessed a terrible car accident:
“I pulled off to the side and went back and there was all this smoke and fire. I saw a woman passed out against the steering wheel and there was a fire burning beneath her car. My first thought was, ‘This thing is going to blow up’. I was standing at a distance until I suddenly noticed that she was blonde — my daughter’s hair color — and had this thought, ‘This person is someone’s daughter, it could be my daughter’. After that, there wasn’t a moment of hesitation. I ran over, ripped opened the door, and pulled her out. Another driver helped me carry her, and by the time we got about ten yards away the car exploded. … [That] started a chain reaction for me. I realized that a person in need is someone’s son or daughter; someone’s mother, someone’s niece, nephew, aunt, or uncle. You can’t depersonalize them. I don’t care how many people in need there are. That realizations lead to my work in India, has also lead me to New York City, and continuously reminds me how deeply motivated I am by the individual.”
I was inspired by Craig’s story, but his passion for helping people goes deeper than one single incident. Craig also sincerely expressed how disturbed he was by the poverty he witnessed during his charity work in India. When Craig returned to the United States, he was driven to peruse a vocation helping the impoverished and disenfranchised people of New York City. Since then, he has made every effort to meet the needs of New York’s homeless and he continues the legacy of good works offered by the New York City Rescue Mission.
Dr. Mayes certainly made an impression, one that I will always carry with me. His kindness, generosity, and undeterred commitment are virtues that we should all learn from. In a city where exposure to poverty is an everyday occurrence, it is rare to find a person who refuses to turn a blind eye to the unfortunate circumstances of others. Craig Mayes is truly a leader with his empathic and humble approach to philanthropy. He will no doubt continue to positively impact the New York City Rescue Mission, and will not stop until he aids all of our brothers and sisters in need.
ABGPrint.com Proudly Partners with its Midtown Neighbor, the New York Public Library
ABGPrint.com is excited to announce its involvement with the New York Public Library as the institution prepares to exhibit the lifetime of artwork produced by world-renowned theater photographer Martha Swope. The exhibit, entitled Martha Swope: In Rehearsal, is set to premier in October and will present Swope’s contribution of over a million priceless photographs. This collection offers the public a firsthand glimpse into the private world of many of America’s seminal theater productions. ABGPrint.com is glad to take part in this historic cultural event and to support the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, a collection of art scholarship and archival materials that has remained one of the world’s largest since its inception nearly half a century ago.
Photo by K. Beard of ABGPrint.com
The origins of the Library for the Performing Arts (LPA) date back to 1932, the year that the chief of the Music Division of the New York Public Library, Carleton Sprague Smith, spoke to the lack of “A Worthy Music Center for New York.” Four decades later, on November 30th 1965, the Lincoln Center branch of the New York Public Library opened its doors and invited New Yorkers for the first time into the “Library and Museum of the Performing Arts” – the fruit of Smith’s lifelong ambitions.
In its younger years, the LPA was divided into separate reading rooms for Dance, Music, Sound Archive, Theater Research, and Children’s Performing Arts, the latter including “The Hecksher Oval,” an enclosed space designed specifically for children’s story-telling. Over the years, renovations and generous contributions from benefactors have transformed the Library many times over. Today, the Billy Rose Theater Division, Jerome Robbins Dance Division and Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound bear the names of masters of their craft who have all made invaluable contributions to both the archives and to the art world at large. The Music Division remains the Library’s largest, and features sound recordings in formats that themselves trace the history and development of audio technology to its earliest origins.
Rehearsal for Don Quixote, 1966 © Martha Swope, Life Magazine
Martha Swope’s donation in October will constitute nearly a quarter of the Library’s photographs overall. These breathtaking images constitute a timeline that tells the story of the growth of Theater in New York City, and of the creative geniuses that enriched our lives and culture with their impassioned works. In 2004, Swope received the Tony Honor for Excellence for her career’s worth of photographs ranging from the 1950’s to the 1990’s.
ABGPrint.com is certainly excited to lend a hand to its Midtown West neighbor by providing printed programs for this historic exhibition. As New York City’s leading printer, we are very proud to create business partnerships that support historic institutions like The New York Public Library, which have defined New York City as the artistic and cultural capital of the world.
Be sure to check out “Martha Swope: In Rehearsal” exhibit at the New York Public Library. Details are listed on the Library’s event page.
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