Donations Accepted through June 13
May 27, 2025 — Gift for Life, the gift and home industries’ longest-running, volunteer-led charitable organization, today announced that its 12 GFL/NY NOW team members collectively have raised $42,357 for AIDS Walk NY, which took place on Sunday, May 18, in New York City’s Central Park. Additional donations will be accepted through June 13 at Gift for Life/NY NOW team AIDS Walk New York
2025 marks the 13th consecutive year that Gift for Life has fielded an AIDS Walk NY team. Participants this year included 8 in-person walkers in New York City as well as remote walkers, including Matt Katzenson of Fine Lines, the team’s top fundraiser. Notably, 7 of the GFL/NY NOW team members reached “Star Walker” status, raising more than $1,000 each. A special “Steps for Su” campaign, conducted in memory of Su Hilty, the team’s former co-captain who passed away in December 2024, yielded $1,800.
AIDS Walk New York is the world’s largest and most visible annual HIV/AIDS fundraising event. Through the fun and festive four-mile walk/run, some 10,000+ participants in the 2025 event have raised $1,913,275 benefitting GMHC and other tri-state area HIV and AIDS services organizations.
Team GFL/NY NOW at the AIDS Walk NY starting line on May 20, 2025
(L-R) Amy Loewenberg, co-captains Kelly Bristol and Caroline (Keb) Kennedy, Bill McCue, Sally Fisher, Matthew Mathiasen and Sara Zarini
“This year’s team members really pulled together and did an incredible fundraising job. By working together, sharing tips and challenging each other with weekly fundraising goals, we were able to surpass our goal,” said team co-captain Caroline (Keb) Kennedy. “We had a great day to walk, and are grateful to everyone who supported our efforts to raise money for this important cause. We especially thank NY NOW, which provided $5,000 in matching funds, as well as the team T-shirts.”
Former Gift for Life chair, Matthew Katzenson, not only led the team in fundraising with $12,470 donated by friends and family, but also was among the event’s overall top fundraisers. Other Gift for Life/NY NOW “Star Walkers” who raised $1,000+ were Kelly Bristol, Sally Fisher, Caroline Kennedy, Amy Loewenberg, Matthew Mathiasen and Bill McCue.
Team co-captain Kelly Bristol added, “Despite current economic conditions which are challenging for fundraising, our extended community of industry colleagues, friends and family continues to show up with incredible generosity and heart. In times like these, personal donations have never been more vital and we’re deeply grateful to our supporters.”
Donations are accepted through June 13 at https://gmhc.aidswalkny.org/team/628942
Gift for Life was founded by Peter Schauben in 1992 in response to the tragic loss of industry lives to AIDS. The organization’s first meeting at the National Stationery Show brought together a cross-section of the industry’s leading publishers, market centers, sales reps, manufacturers, and retailers – all willing to convene and work together towards a common goal. Since that time, Gift for Life has raised nearly $6 million for AIDS research, education, treatment and care through nationwide at-market events, cause marketing programs and direct donations. In 2021, Gift for Life pivoted towards online digital events with a specific emphasis on supporting World Central Kitchen’s COVID-related hunger relief. Since that time, Gift for Life has led gift and home industry efforts to fund provision of nearly 100,000 hot, nutritious meals to communities impacted by crisis and conflict worldwide. Gift for Life, the gift and home industries’ longest-running, volunteer-led, national charitable organization, continues to support year-round programs that address hunger relief, as well as annual support for AIDS Walk NY which benefits GMHC’s HIV/AIDS treatment, prevention, and advocacy programs. More information is available at www.giftforlife.org.
ABOUT AIDS Walk New York and GMHC
AIDS Walk New York is the world’s largest and most visible single-day AIDS fundraising event in the world. In its over 30 years, the event has inspired nearly 900,000 people to walk and millions more to donate, raising nearly $157 million to combat HIV and AIDS. Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC), the primary beneficiary of AIDS Walk New York, is the nation’s leading provider of HIV/AIDS care, prevention services, and advocacy, serving thousands of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS in New York City, the epidemic’s largest U.S. epicenter. The event also supports other tri-state AIDS service, social justice and/or public health organizations through the Community Partnership Program (CPP). For information, visit https://gmhc.aidswalkny.org and gmhc.org.
