Philadelphia Fund Alliance Raises Over $65,000 for Cradles to Crayons


From left: Bruce G. Leto, Partner and Investment Management Group Chair, Stradley Ronon; Michal Smith, Executive Director, Cradles to Crayons; Susan Hight, Director of Development, Cradles to Crayons; Stephen Sypherd, Managing Director and General Counsel, FS Investments; Tim Levin, Philadelphia Managing Partner, Morgan Lewis; John Alshefski, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of the Investment Manager Services division of SEI Investments.

More than 200 Philadelphia-area asset management professionals gathered on Nov. 2 at The Logan Philadelphia to raise money for Cradles to Crayons and to celebrate Philadelphia’s deep roots and influence in national financial markets and services, including traditional mutual funds and alternative asset vehicles. New York Times contributing reporter and author Diana Henriques, whose new book, “A First-Class Catastrophe: The Road to Black Monday, the Worst Day in Wall Street History,” was published in September, was the event’s keynote speaker. Henriques is also the author of “The Wizard of Lies: Bernie Madoff and the Death of Trust,” which was the basis for a recent HBO drama.

The event raised more than $65,000 for Cradles to Crayons, a nonprofit organization that provides children living in homeless or low-income situations with the basic essential items they need to thrive – at home, at school and at play. Cradles to Crayons mitigates the effects of poverty on local children and families by providing basic items such as clothing, shoes, books and school supplies free of charge.

Formed in 2016, PFA was created to hold an annual fundraiser to benefit a charity in the greater Philadelphia area and to highlight the region’s impact on the registered funds, asset management and alternatives space. Last year’s inaugural PFA gala raised more than $40,000 for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Sponsors for 2017 included Aberdeen Asset Management, BBD, Deloitte, DLA Piper, Drinker Biddle, EY, FS Investments, KPMG, Macquarie Investment Management, Morgan Lewis, Pepper Hamilton, PwC, SEI Investments Company, Stradley Ronon and Tait Weller. The event’s printing sponsor was Donnelley Financial Solutions, the floral sponsor was Kremp’s Florist and the music sponsor was Settlement Music School.

Featured Charity

Cradles to Crayons

Cradles to Crayons provides children living in homeless or low income situations with the basic essential items they need to thrive – at home, at school and at play. As poverty continues to grow in our region, Philadelphia has become the poorest large city in our country, leading the nation in deep poverty. Cradles to Crayons mitigates the effects of poverty on local children and families by providing basic items such as clothing, shoes, books and school supplies free of charge. Cradles to Crayons connects communities that have with communities that need through tangible volunteer opportunities and last year supported 24,000 volunteers and served over 75,000 children in the Philadelphia region.