An Anniversary Fundraiser
Celebrating three decades of helping older foster kids find permanent, loving families
On May 4th, 2026, the You Gotta Believe community gathered at Guastavino’s on Manhattan’s Upper East Side to celebrate our pearl anniversary. Together, we honored 30 years of impact in New York as well as the tremendous contributions of Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley Jackson. The program was hosted by Broadway, film, and television artist, Ta’Nika Gibson and featured performances from Tony Yazbeck, Charlotte d’Amboise, Ainsley Melham, and Brian Stokes Mitchell. We were honored to be joined by Mary Allen, a YGB parent, who proudly shared her story as well as some pearls of wisdom for prospective adoptive parents. Guests enjoyed cocktails and delicious bites all while celebrating YGB’s rich history. Thanks to the generosity of our community, we raised almost 500,000 dollars. We are deeply grateful to everyone who made this event possible!
Please enjoy some photos from past Voices events! This annual fundraiser was pioneered by our honorees, Seth Rudetsky & James Wesley Jackson.
Relive the Magic
Honoring Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley Jackson
At the event, YGB gave special recognition to Seth and James for their contributions and advocacy for older foster youth. Seth and James have played a vital role in producing Voices: Stars for Foster Kids, a Broadway style event that has raised nearly $5 million over the past decade.
Sponsors
Thank you to our generous 30 Years of Family Fundraiser Sponsors:
Presenting Sponsor ($100,000+)
Tom & Karen Rutledge
Visionary ($50,000+)
Anonymous
Leader ($25,000)
Christopher and Yeny Winfrey
Advocate ($10,000)
Anonymous (2)
Daniel Taitz & Penny Nemzer
Barbara Bradley Baekgaard Family Foundation
Shrinkhala & Bhav Basnet
Gretchen Beidl & Michael Willner
Broadway Cares/equity Fights AIDS
Sabrina C. Glaser & Mark Cho
Kirkland & Ellis Foundation
Maria & Winder Llerena
Partner ($5,000)
The Anne and Mark Brennan Charitable Fund
Mark & Valerie Basile
Juan Battle, PhD & Michael Bennett, PhD
John & Armina Weitzer
Supporter ($3,000)
James & Michael Acey-Van Brunt
Brian Foster
Robin Rosenbluth & Tracy Scott
Yahoo!
VIP Ticket Purchasers
Kenneth DeRegt
Melissa & Andrew Komaroff
Catherine and Kenneth Rende Family Foundation
Over the past 30 Years, You Gotta Believe has helped to facilitate over 400 adoptions and has provided resources to thousands of youth and families.
Spread the Word
Let's make a bigger impact!
Meet Some of Our Families
Natasha and Sheldon
And most of all, they cherish the moments when their children tell them, “Mom and Dad, I love you.” For them, there is no more extraordinary gift than that.
Josh & Skylar’s Story
“I feel like I belong now,” Carlos says. “My life has meaning. I have someone to lean on when I’m not feeling good. I’m happier… Less depressed. It’s changed my life in so many ways.”
The Farley Family
They stumbled upon two precious little girls. Drawn to a giggling girl, they approached her, only to be introduced to her equally charming sister. At that moment, they knew that these sisters belonged together, and they belonged with them.