By Mark Hansel
NKyTribune managing editor
The Jeff Ruby Foundation found a way to as a little something extra to its founder’s birthday celebration.
The Foundation used the occasion of Jeff Ruby’s 70th Birthday Gala to also hold its first major fundraiser at Jack Cincinnati Casino.
The Jeff Ruby Foundation has worked for years in the communities where its restaurants reside and team members live. This year, the Foundation plans to take its efforts to the next level.
The Foundation set a goal to raise $500,000 that evening, and celebrities community stakeholders and concerned citizens stepped up to help reach that mark.
The eclectic mix of those on hand included former Cincinnati Reds and New York Yankees star, Paul O’Neill, musician Kid Rock, Bootsy Collins and Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley.
Lee Greenwood performed on the piano center-stage in a set that included crowd favorite “God Bless the USA. Ruby joined Greenwood for a performance of the Righteous Brothers standard, “You’ve lost that loving feeling,” one of the restaurateur’s favorites.
The headliners for the event were Kool & the Gang, who entertained the crowd with a bevy of hits including, “Joanna,” “Celebration” and “Ladies’ Night.”
The Jeff Ruby Foundation has supported many local and national organizations over the years, including, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Most Valuable Kids, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Boomer Esiason Foundation, United Way and Crime Stoppers.
It has identified child poverty, however, as one of the root causes of larger systemic issues in the region. The organization website indicates Greater Cincinnati’s child poverty rate is among the highest in the nation.
The organization decided to focus the majority of its initial efforts on what it believes to be the most vulnerable population in Cincinnati: at-risk youth without parents (foster kids).
The Jeff Ruby family has tasked the Foundation with “Getting Cincinnati Off This List” and is dedicating its strategic focus to this huge effort which started on April 29. Visit the Jeff Ruby Foundation website in the coming weeks for more information.
The fundraiser was a good start as guests gave generously and blew past the half-million-dollar goal.
The Jeff Ruby Foundation issued the following statement thanking its supporters:
“Friends, we are absolutely overwhelmed by your support of the Jeff Ruby Foundation. Through your generosity, we raised $581,483 at our fundraiser this past Sunday. We’re so proud of our hometown and can’t find the words to thank you enough. Know that your support will go directly to programs that address the challenges afflicting our most vulnerable population – #Cincinnati kids without parents and foster kids. Thank you so very much and stay tuned as our Foundation focuses on making a significant, generational impact with your kind help. Cheers!”
For more information on the Jeff Ruby Foundation, click here.
Contact Mark Hansel at mark.hansel@nkytrib.com