Fashion Icon Tommy Hilfiger to be Honored at Save the Children’s Centennial Celebration in New York; James Taylor to Perform at Save the Children’s Centennial Celebration on the West Coast, Hosted by Jennifer Garner

Save the Children, the international humanitarian organization, announced today that Jennifer Garner will host its “Centennial Celebration: Once in a Lifetime” event on October 2 in Beverly Hills, with a special performance by five-time Grammy Award winner James Taylor. Tommy Hilfiger, founder of Tommy Hilfiger, will be honored at “The Centennial Gala: Changing The World for Children” gala in New York City on September 12. To help celebrate the night in New York, chef and humanitarian José Andrés will create a special dessert for guests to enjoy. As previously announced, the two events are a culmination of the organization’s 100th year anniversary and will celebrate Save the Children’s mission to do whatever it takes for the most vulnerable children in the United States and around the world.

Save the Children will present the Humanitarian Award to Tommy Hilfiger, fashion designer and American icon, for his unceasing dedication to uplifting the lives of others. Mr. Hilfiger makes it his personal responsibility to give back. In 1995, he launched The Tommy Hilfiger Corporate Foundation with the mission to empower America’s youth, placing emphasis on education and cultural programs. In addition to working closely with Save the Children, Mr. Hilfiger is actively involved in a number of charities and causes including Autism Speaks, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), Race to Erase Multiple Sclerosis, the Ernie Davis Community Center and the Washington D.C. Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation. He served on the board of directors for The Fresh Air Fund, a New York based group that has been sending underprivileged children to summer camp since 1877. With a focus on at-risk youth and education, Mr. Hilfiger works through his giving vehicle to foster healthy communities and empower young people to succeed. Hilfiger will join previously announced honoree Camila Cabello (Voice Award honoree) at the star-studded New York gala, co-hosted by Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie. The September 12 event will take place at the Manhattan Center’s Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, and will include Co-chairs Catherine Oppenheimer and Tracy Stuart.

As previously announced, Save the Children will also host a second centennial celebration on October 2 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. Save the Children Trustee and actor Jennifer Garner will host the event, which will honor The Walt Disney Company Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert A. Iger with The Centennial Award. Special guest Oprah Winfrey will present the award to Mr. Iger. The West Coast event will be a night to remember with performances by James Taylor and the Amani Children’s Choir from Uganda. Attendees will be treated to a dessert specially created for the event by renowned chef Wolfgang Puck. Honorary Co-Chairs of the event include: Jim Berkus, Skip Brittenham, Carole Bayer Sager and Bob Daly, Linda and Jerry Bruckheimer, Baron Davis, Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart, David Geffen, the Robert Glass Family, Karen and Russell Goldsmith, Sam Gores, Brian Grazer, Charlotte Guyman, Austin Hearst, Mia and Brian Henson, Alan Horn, Ron Howard, Kathleen Kennedy, Bobby Kotick, Ynon Kriez, Lynn and Norman Lear, Richard Lovett, George Lucas Family Foundation, Eddie Marks, Ron Meyer, Anne Mulcahy, Thomas S. Murphy, Julie Nordstrom, Ambassador Charles Rivkin, Cokie Roberts, Joe Roth, Mark and Jeanne Shriver, Chris Silbermann, Sir Howard Stringer and Tom Werner.

“By continuing to advocate for the rights of children globally, Tommy Hilfiger has not only become a notable humanitarian figure, but he has built a brand based on corporate responsibility. We’re looking forward to honoring him for those efforts in New York in September,” said Carolyn Miles, CEO of Save the Children. ”And while Jennifer Garner, a Save the Children trustee, has hosted previous galas, we are thrilled to have her serve as the host of our first West Coast celebration in October. She is deeply committed to issues affecting children and most recently brought hope and joy to children recently released from government custody benefitting from Save the Children’s Child Friendly Spaces in hospitality centers in New Mexico.”

Over the past 100 years, Save the Children has changed the lives of far more than 1 billion children, reaching 134 million children in 2018 alone. As the world’s leading expert on children, with operations in 120 countries including the United States, Save the Children has an unparalleled ability not only to develop and test innovations, but also to dramatically scale what works - creating lasting, transformative change for children. In commemoration of the 100th anniversary, Save the Children launched The Promise of Childhood Campaign, a fundraising effort to raise $100 million to accelerate their work today and ensure their programs for tomorrow.  

Johnson & Johnson is the Presenting Sponsor for the New York event. The Walt Disney Company is the Centennial Celebration presenter for the West Coast event. For more information on the New York event, please visit www.savethechildren.org/Gala. For more information on the West Coast event, please visit www.savethechildren.org/Celebration.

Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Since our founding 100 years ago, we’ve changed the lives of more than 1 billion children. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.