Help
for Orphans International’s 2nd Annual Hamptons
benefit at Nova’s Ark Project in Watermill, NY drew over
300 guests on Friday, July 25. The event, co-chaired by Help
For Orphans International founder Sarah Ehrlich and
star of The Real Housewives of New York City’s Jill
Zarin, raised essential funds to build a vocational school
for 50 orphans in Kisii, Kenya, which will open next year.
The event marked the first time that all of the stars of The Real
Housewives of New York City, including Jill Zarin, Bethenny
Frankel, Countess LuAnn de Lesseps, Alex McCord, Ramona Singer and
the newest housewife Kelly Killoren Bensimon, have
been in the same room together and the cameras were rolling for Season
2 of the hit Bravo show. Guests including Lucia Hwong
Gordon, Sara Herbert-Galloway, Michael Mione, Justin Love, Tex
Caldarola, Dr. and Mrs. Gerry Curatola, Gracean and Jerry
DeCrosta, Amelia Doggwiler, Vincent Horcasitas, Maynard Monrow, Helen
Gifford, Enzo Morabito, Glenn Myles, Allyson Shapiro, Anna Wilding,
Tundra Wolf,Bobby Zarin and Dr.
Robert DiPilla bid on art by the likes of Andy Moses,
Colette and Hunt Slonem andenjoyed
food provided by Creative Cuisine as Bethenny Frankel guest-bartended
at the Skinny Girl Martini bar.
The new school will give the older orphans in Kisii (who have finished
their basic education) the skills needed to create careers and participate
in their villages. They will be taught sustainable agriculture, dairy
farming, horticulture, art and other skills needed to support themselves,
their families and hopefully others, including other orphaned children.
The children will also choose from various trades, and will be helped
in starting their careers. Not only will they be given a foundation
in education and basic living skills, Help for Orphans International
will also work actively with the community to provide the necessary
tools for a stronger foundation in life.
Help for Orphans International founded in 2004 by Sarah Ehrlich,
is a non-profit organization that provides superior education facilities
and materials for orphans around the world. HFOI gives orphans the
means to create better lives for themselves by giving them an education
and empowering them to succeed in whatever endeavor they choose.
HFOI provides orphans with food, clean water, clothes, medicine,
educational materials and teacher training. The organization has
assisted orphanages in Kenya, Uganda, India and South America.