NEW YORK, January 21, 2008 – Hedge Funds Care, a global non-profit organization which raises funds and awareness within the hedge fund industry for programs that work to prevent and treat child abuse, announced today that it will hold its 11^th Annual New York Open Your Heart to the Children Benefit on Wednesday, February 11^th, 2009 at Cipriani 42nd Street (110 East 42^nd Street, New York City).  This year’s highly anticipated event will include an elaborate cocktail reception and the presentation of the Hedge Funds Care Award for Caring to Kenneth G. Tropin, the Founder of Graham Capital Management, for his organization’s kind and generous support over many years.  The Co-chairs for the event are John M. Budzyna, President and Chairman of Hedge Funds Care, and Dean Backer, Managing Director, Goldman Sachs & Co.

Since the first benefit in 1998, Hedge Funds Care has distributed over $18 million in more than 500 grants in the United States and abroad.  Currently the New York benefit, which raised almost $2.2 million in 2008, supports 44 grants to organizations that deal with child abuse and neglect in New York City, Westchester, Connecticut and New Jersey.  Through the ongoing generosity and commitment of hedge fund industry professionals and investors, Hedge Funds Care looks forward to continuing to offer support to existing grantees while also expanding support to new programs. 

“In the current economic downturn, child welfare agencies across the country are concerned about an increase in abuse and neglect cases, while government funding for these agencies is down,” stated John Budzyna, President and Chairman of Hedge Funds Care.  “Our work at Hedge Funds Care is more vital than ever before, since we know historically that child abuse increases with rising unemployment. We urge hedge fund industry professionals to support the Open Your Heart to the Children Benefit by purchasing tickets, placing an ad in the program journal, underwriting portions of the event, or making a direct donation to Hedge Funds Care.”

“Each year, Hedge Fund Care provides grants to over 100 organizations worldwide that are working to alleviate child abuse through prevention, treatment, education, research, and advocacy,” stated Rob Davis, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Hedge Funds Care. “Yet with 3.3 million reports of child abuse each year in the U.S., it remains critical that each of us connected to the industry, and concerned about children, do our part.”

The 11th Annual New York Open Your Heart to the Children Benefit is also an excellent opportunity to connect and build relationships with like-minded peers in the hedge fund community.  Attendees will include hedge fund investors, service providers and senior professionals, including some of the most recognized and respected investment managers in the industry. 

To learn more, please visit www.hedgefundscare.org

About Hedge Funds Care – Preventing and Treating Child Abuse:

The principal mission of Hedge Funds Care is to support efforts to prevent and treat child abuse. Hedge Funds Care is a charity raising funds and awareness within the hedge fund industry. Through its regional and international fundraising events, Hedge Funds Care generally grants the funds raised at each event within the local region to organizations selected and evaluated on the basis of their ability to address child abuse. Funds are raised through annual Open Your Heart to the Children Benefits and other events in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago and the Twin Cities, Denver,  New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles, Cayman Islands, London, and Toronto and through personal donations. Money raised is distributed locally to community based nonprofit organizations that provide:

• PREVENTION services to at-risk children and families
• TREATMENT for children who have been physically or sexually abused and support services to non-offending family members
• EDUCATION to enhance awareness and understanding of abuse and neglect for children, parents, and professionals in the community
• RESEARCH on best practices in child welfare
• ADVOCACY to improve child welfare

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Contacts:

Trevel Balser
Director of Development
Hedge Funds Care
212.991.9600 x 341
Tbalser@HedgeFundsCare.org

Sarah Blaker
Events Coordinator
Hedge Funds Care
212. 991.9600 x 342
Sblaker@HedgeFundsCare.org

Media Contact:
Mitch Ackles
Hedge Fund PR
305-444-9868
mitch@hedgefundpr.net

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