At our annual Building Skills NY fundraiser, we honor the individuals who have built skills and futures through our program, alongside the partners who help make these transformations happen. This year’s event took place on October 8 at National Sawdust in Williamsburg. With more than 150 local real estate, construction, and workforce development leaders in attendance, we raised $200,000 in support of New York City’s skilled workforce. 

View the full photo gallery here and check out highlights from the night below. 

Construction’s Next Generation

 

We awarded this year’s Glenn Hilzen Building Futures Award to three all-star program participants: Tikim Brady Bell, Russell Baker, and Paul Harris. Since enrolling in BSNY programs, these three young men have honed their hard and soft skills, expanded their professional networks, and secured steady employment in construction. We’re honored to play a part in their growing careers. 

Strength in Community

 

Since 2024, our partnership with Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation (CHLDC) has helped dozens of job seekers earn industry-recognized credentials and land full-time construction jobs. We were delighted to have CHLDC’s Career and Education Programs Director Lowell Herschberger and YouthBuild IGNITE Director Peter Rodriguez on hand to accept this year’s Workforce Partner Award. 

Industry Investment

 

Employer partnerships are central to our work at BSNY. We’ve made more than 2,500 job placements since 2018, and a strong employer relationship has made each one possible. At this year’s event, we celebrated three exemplary organizations leading the way on local hiring: Apex Building Group (recipient of the Jay Kriegel Impact Developer Award), Fifth Avenue Builders (recipient of the General Contractor of the Year Award), and Bletsas Plumbing & Heating (recipient of the Employer of the Year Award).