Americares Airlift Benefit Raises $1.9 Million 

Event Celebrates 45 Years of Improving Health Worldwide

Stamford, Conn. – April 12, 2024 – The 2024 Americares Airlift Benefit hosted by award-winning actor and producer Bryan Cranston raised $1.9 million to improve health worldwide.  

The benefit celebrated the organization’s 45 years of life-changing health programs and the health workers and partners who make the programs possible. The event highlighted the organization’s response to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, health clinics in Colombia and its support for uninsured and underinsured patients across the United States. The event culminated with a group of guests departing on an airlift to Colombia to see Americares work firsthand. 

“This year’s event was a great success and showcased the incredible generosity of our supporters that allows us to provide health programs, medicine, medical supplies and emergency aid,” said Americares President and CEO Christine Squires. “The funds raised will make a meaningful impact for people affected by poverty or disaster worldwide.”  

Nearly 400 guests attended the April 11 benefit at the historic TWA Hotel at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. In addition to Cranston—best known for his iconic roles in “Malcolm in the Middle” and “Breaking Bad”— notable guests included Americares Board Member and Actor, Director, Producer Tony Goldwyn and Americares Board Member and CNN Anchor and National Correspondent Erica Hill. 

Cranston and Goldwyn surprised the crowd by auctioning off exclusive access to upcoming premieres. Cranston auctioned backstage passes to the opening night of a Broadway play and an autographed bottle of Dos Hombres—his artisanal mezcal with Aaron Paul. Goldwyn auctioned two tickets to the New York premiere of his latest film, “Ezra,” starring Bobby Cannavale, Rose Byrne and Robert DeNiro. 

The featured speakers included Americares Colombia Country Director Diana Gutiérrez de Piñeres, Americares Deputy Senior Vice President of Emergency Programs Provash Budden and Svitlana Pugach, director of strategic partnerships at Tabletochki, a Ukraine-based partner organization that provides treatment for childhood cancer. Longtime Americares supporters Ignacio and Samhita Jayanti, Alexander and Sarah Saint-Amand, Mike and Lisa Ullmann and Eric and Joy Weintz co-chaired this year’s successful event, produced by STAMP Event Co. 

Early this morning, a group of guests boarded a flight to Colombia, for a 48-hour journey to see Americares health centers and mobile clinics for families fleeing the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela and other underserved populations. Participants will see Americares health programs in action, take part in volunteer activities, and meet Colombian health workers, patients and community leaders.  

A leader in the humanitarian sector, Americares is No. 9 on Forbes 2023 list of Top 100 Charities and a four-star rated charity—the highest possible—by Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator. Americares helps communities prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters; increase accessibility, availability, affordability and acceptability of medicine and medical supplies; improve and expand health services; and prevent disease and promote good health. 

EVENT PHOTOS BELOW ARE AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE 

Moffly Media is the exclusive regional magazine sponsor of the 2024 Americares Airlift Benefit