News Article on David Tyree and Children and the City

The April 3 edition of the local Home Reporter and Sunset News had a great article about the recent Children of the City gala with photos of Super Bowl XLII hero David Tyree who received the charity's Children's Champion Award at the benefit. Again the event was to erasie awareness of the educational needs and social challenges of underprivileged children in the Sunset Park community.

One quote from the organization's Co-founder and President Joyce Mattera reminds us, "With a 48 percent dropout rate in the inner city and one out of four living in abject poverty, we have to act now to ensure the viability of our next generation."

Top model, Selita Ebanks presented New York Giants Super Bowl XLII hero, David Tyree, with the Children’s Champion Award at the Children of the City Benefit hosted by Sopranos and Tonight Show celebrity, Steve Schirripa, along with New Jersey Net superstar, Richard Jefferson.

David Tyree was also photographed for the article at the Sunset Park outreach center reading with some of the children. He has done so much
for the organization since he started participating three years ago.

In fact, he was also interviewed last Saturday night on Access Hollywood, and he talked about how glad he was about working with our organization.

The programs have evolved to include advocacy, afterschool, and summer programs, counseling, legal guardianship, parenting support and more. If you want to read more about Children of the City drop by my website at http://www.rocco.basile.org/. Or you could also go to http://www.childrenofthecity.org/ or call 1-718-222-5819.

Children of the City Gala Raised $100k plus

Our Children of the City gala last Thursday evening was a huge success, raising more than $100k for the non- profit organization based in Sunset Park, New York. There was a tremendous amount of press generated with the celebrities in attendance including David Tyree of the New York Giants, Steve Schirripa of the HBO hit series The Sopranos, who was Master of Ceremonies and New Jersey Nets Richard Jefferson, their second all time leading scorer.

The event was really fun, and there were lots of celebrities. David and I were each presented with the "Children's Champion" Award from Children of the City the at the charity's 4th annual Gala 2008 which was held in New York City at Tribeca Rooftop. This award celebrates all the work David has done in the last three years with the organization -- long before his SuperBowl fame.

Again, the real honor should go to my friends and colleagues who contribute to this wonderful organization so that we can be successful with programs such as our Create Success after school program that helps each student’s academic success via intense tutoring and daily personal help for the kids homework issues from volunteers. We've seen dramatic increases in each participating student’s reading and math levels. Plus it gives them healthy study habits and improved communications and better peer relationships.

You can read more about my philosophies about education for our youth on my website www. RoccoBasile.org

Tyree Deserves the Children of the City Award

There was an amazing article about David Tyree back on February 11 in a New York Times story written by that talks about why and how he decided that he needed to change his life after his arrest for drug possession in 2004. Now he is planning to write a book about the changes in his life after he was arrested, which he believes could have been the best thing that ever happened to him.

David Tyree with his wife, Leilah, and sons, Teyon, left, and Josiah. He and his wife run a nonprofit group that counsels teenagers. (Photo by Suzanne DeChillo/The New York Times)

He is also involved with a variety of charities, including Children of the City, which helps children and their families overcome poverty in Southwest Brooklyn. The work he does offers such hope to the kids in this program, because they can relate to his real experiences as a teenager, when he was addicted to alcohol. Based in Sunset Park, the program has offered help and services to thousands of underprivileged inner-city children and their families to achieve success in education, social relationships, at home, in finances and careers through the dedication of many volunteers like David.

When I read the article, it reminded me that I too had some issues to overcome in my past, and thanks to the work I do with my charities, including being on the Board of Children of the City and the Joe DiMaggio Committee for Xaverian High School, my Alma Mater, life is so much more fulfilled.

The Times article said Tyree was a moonlighting drug dealer who became a born-again Christian ... a child who drank alcohol and smoked marijuana with his family who turned into a sober father and husband . Just like many of the families and kids at Children of the City, transformation is the key word here.

Tyree also made this statement in another article, "Since learning about Children of the City, I have admired the aggressive approach it has taken in helping our young people. I only seek to do my best in community service with an organization that operates in excellence."

One success story there is about Erica, who never goes anywhere without a book since joining Children of the City’s Create Success Program.

“I tell other kids how nice it is to get help with your homework and reading at Children of the City”, comments the soft spoken fifth grader," she said. After just a few months, her grades improved dramatically and she learned to love reading.

It is stories like this that is the reason David Tyree will be getting that award tonight at our annual fundraiser and gala. Here's yet another brief blurb Tuesday in the NY Daily News about it that appeared about the event yesterday, which I am truly honored to be part of.

"New York Giants Super Bowl hero David Tyree and local businessman and Bay Ridge resident Rocco Basile will be honored Thursday at the Children of the City's Night of Champions Benefit Gala." Currently Children of the City reaches over 2,000 children and youth in Sunset Park every year, but also serves 900 children monthly through home visits from volunteers.

New York Daily News Article on Children of the City Gala

There was an article today in the New York Daily News written by staff writer Gayle Dewees about our Children of the City event this Thursday March 13, hosted by the New Jersey Nets, Richard Jefferson, and with actor Steve Schirripa, who will serve as Master of Ceremonies.

"New York Giants Super Bowl hero David Tyree and local businessman and Bay Ridge resident Rocco Basile will be honored Thursday at the Children of the City's Night of Champions Benefit Gala." Our friend David Tyree has been a supporter of the Children of the City for three years, long before his recent Bowl fame.

The article said, "Rocco Basile helped establish the after-school program by securing resources and funding for the program. They will both receive the program's highest honor, the Children Champion Award."

I'm so honored to receive this. The real honor should go to all my colleagues and friends who contribute to this wonderful organization. I thank you all and truly appreciate your help in supporting my cause and giving the resources to make this dream come true. Your generosity during the holidays with gifts for our toy drive brought so much joy, and the funds have made so much of a difference in our Create Success program. You have helped so many children and their families.

Create Success is an after school and also a summer program focusing on each student’s academic success. There is intense tutoring and daily personal help from colunteers for the students' homework. There have been dramatic increases in each participating student’s reading and math levels. Plus it gives them healthy study habits and improved communications and better peer relationships. Click here to learn more.

Children of the City's Founder and executive Director Joyce Materra said that its a "tremendous opportunity to educate New Yorkers about the challenges these children have to face."

Children of the City, based in Sunset Park, New York has offered help and services to thousands of underprivileged inner-city children and their families for the last 27 years so that they could achieve success in education, social relationships, at home, in finances and careers through the dedication of volunteers and staffed professionals.

Giants hero David Tyree to Attend Children of the City Gala

Being on the Board of a charity like Children of the City (COC) has its advantages. Sometimes we get to meet some totally amazing people. For instance, our big annual gala is coming up on Thursday March 13 . And New York Giants SuperBowl hero David Tyree will be coming as a special guest, for the third year in a row; along with Richard Jefferson of the New York Nets.

This year's 27th anniversary gala will be held at Tribecca Rooftop in New York City. The Master of Ceremonies is Steve Shirripa of the HBO series The Supranos. This wonderful organization serves the children and families of Southwest Brooklyn, helping families overcome welfare and poverty, and benefiting children and their challenges in life with education, and more.

It is only $5,000 to sponsor a child -- to provide a complete comprehensive plan for success for one child for a year, and get name recognition, and receive frequent updates on the progress of your sponsored child's development throughout the year. Then of course, if you happen to be with a major corporation and want to sponsor the event to the tune of $50k, you're company will get name recognition at all major COC events, in all communicaitons, publications and media coverage throughout the year including fundraising events, programs, activities and community gatherings.

Oh and just to attend the gala the tickets are $400 each. Anyone interested in a sponsorship can call Joyce Mattera before February 29th at 718-436-0242 X 18. Be sure to tell her you saw this on the Rocco Basile blog, and I also plan to mention it on my website at www.roccobasile.org where you will find out more about my charities and the importance of education.