When we planned The Life You Can Save’s New York City donor event, A Night of Impact with The Life You Can Save, we hoped to bring together supporters for meaningful conversations about effective giving. What we experienced at the Hotel Belleclaire on May 15th exceeded our expectations—an evening that demonstrated the power of community in driving sustainable change.
The Room That Came Together
Guests gathered at Allure Restaurant, representing a cross-section of our community: longtime donors, curious new supporters learning about TLYCS for the first time, and leaders from five of our recommended non-profits.
The diversity of perspectives in the room—from behavioral science researchers to international development practitioners—created exactly the kind of dynamic dialogue we’d envisioned.
What struck us most was the genuine curiosity everyone brought, with conversations lasting well beyond the formal close of the event.
Teresa, Neela, and Peter Set the Stage
The night of impact opened with a warm welcome from US Managing Director of Transformational Philanthropy, Teresa Coffey-Gordon and Board Member Neela Saldanha followed by an exclusive video message from Peter Singer, recently named to the inaugural TIME100 Philanthropy list recognizing global leaders shaping the future of giving.
Peter’s message of urgency resonated and his lighthearted comment about his red TLYCS t-shirt drew smiles throughout the room, especially since identical shirts were tucked into every goodie bag. It was a perfect example of how Peter makes complex ethical concepts accessible and memorable.
Panel Discussion: Three Perspectives on Urgent Impact
Board member Neela Saldanha moderated a compelling panel featuring leaders from three of our Recommended Nonprofit Partners:
- Nick Allardice, CEO of GiveDirectly
- Claire McGuinness, Strategy & Partnerships Manager at One Acre Fund
- Kathleen Rommel, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Raising The Village
Neela’s background in scaling policy interventions and behavioral science brought out each organization’s unique value while highlighting shared themes: the urgency of current needs, the power of evidence-based interventions, and how collaborative approaches amplify individual impact.
The Rapid Response Fund in Action
One of the evening’s most compelling discussions centered on our Rapid Response Fund, created in partnership with Founders Pledge.
As funding cuts threaten critical health programs globally, the RRF provides urgent support to keep malnutrition wards open, equip frontline health workers, and bridge life-saving interventions and programs.
Several attendees noted that understanding the RRF helped clarify TLYCS’s unique position in the philanthropy landscape—not just recommending effective organizations, but actively responding to emerging crises with data-driven solutions.
Bringing the Mission Home
Literary agent Laura Gruszka provided a moving reading from The Life You Can Save, combining two passages that brought us back to the heart of our mission. Even venue staff commented on how inspired they felt by the reading.
What People Are Saying
The feedback captured the evening’s impact:
“I love TLYCS because it does the work for me…I wouldn’t try to fix my own car, I would bring it to a mechanic, I don’t invest directly in the stock market, I go through an advisor. TLYCS makes me feel confident in where my money goes because they do the vetting and still give me many good choices to choose from.” — Long-time supporter
“I walked away with a solid understanding of the value TLYCS brings to the table and would love to host or invite my network to your next event.” — New supporter
“Thank you so much for such a great evening filled with people coming together around a common goal. I’d love to keep the momentum going.’’ – Recommended Non-profit
“The panel discussion was inspiring, and everyone was energized by the path ahead.’’ – recommended non profit
Measuring A Night of Impact
We saw the formation of a community. Conversations ranged from cost-effective health interventions to understanding TLYCS, the state of philanthropy and more, with several attendees exchanging contact information for ongoing discussions.
The evening also included donation commitments as well as numerous follow-up meetings with interested supporters.
Looking Forward
The success of this event has confirmed our belief in the power of bringing effective giving advocates together in person. Plans are already underway for more gatherings that will spotlight additional recommended non-profits and provide another opportunity for our community to connect.
The evening reminded us that behind every donation, every data point, and every life saved is a community of people committed to using evidence and empathy to create lasting change.
As we continue building our vibrant network of engaged philanthropists, we’re turning moral conviction into measurable impact—one conversation, one connection, and yes, one red t-shirt at a time.
Ready to join our community? Explore the Rapid Response Fund and see how you can make an impact, or sign up for updates from our monthly newsletter.
