Corporate Leadership Award: Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP
Humanitarian Award: Denise Littlefield Sobel
National Hero Award: DaKoyoia D. Billie
Good Samaritan Heroes Award: Robert Febles and George Lesaine
The Corporate Leadership Award recognizes an organization that is dedicated to giving back and making an impact in their community through philanthropy. The partnership between the American Red Cross in Greater New York and Weil dates back to the mid 1900’s. Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP has been an unwavering partner at our side through the most challenging of times. Whether helping to raise critical funds for families in times of disaster or encouraging donations of lifesaving blood, Weil has been there to amplify our call and extend our reach and we are deeply grateful for their support.
The Humanitarian Award recognizes individuals whose efforts support the values of the Red Cross and inspire others to do the same. Denise Littlefield Sobel’s long history of supporting the American Red Cross, specifically in the Greater NY Region, has aided our continuous response to daily local emergencies, home fires and major catastrophic storms and wildfires. Her emphasis of philanthropy is to lead by example, to raise visibility to support programs, and to inspire others to donate through matching funds. This was especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic by helping us to raise essential funds to prevent home fires during the 2021 Sound the Alarm match initiative. Denise’s gift, programmed as the first national match designated for disaster prevention, helped the Red Cross to raise over $312,000 in just three days.
DaKoyoia D. Billie is an Atlanta-based nurse who received a request to work in New York due to a shortage of medical workers. Just a few weeks after she delivered her twin babies, she traveled to New York City and Texas to help hospitals that were short staffed during the peak of the Covid-19 Pandemic.
Robert Febles
George Lesaine
Robert Febles and George Lesaine, two veteran NYC Department of Sanitation workers, were going about their regular route when they noticed that a second-floor apartment complex was on fire. They saved two children, a young mother, and a grandmother from the building. Afterward, they went about their regular route of work.
