ABYSSINIAN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (ADC)—

ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S MOST CELEBRATED

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS—COMMEMORATES ITS 20^th ANNIVERSARY WITH THEHARLEM RENAISSANCE BALL ON TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2009

ADC to Honor Longtime Partners and Friends: Simpson & Thatcher’s Richard Beattie; Columbia University’s Prof. Lionel McIntyre; Kathryn Wilde of Partnership for New York City and New York Daily News’ Own Mortimer Zuckerman

Chrisette Michele—Grammy Award-Winning Island Def Jam Artist—To Perform!!!

WHO:               Abyssinian Development Corporation (ADC), the nationally renowned and consistently innovative not-for-profit organization dedicated to renewing and reclaiming the spirit of community in one of New York City’s oldest and most storied neighborhoods, will be commemorating its 20^th Anniversary at the Harlem Renaissance Ball on Tuesday, June 2, 2009. 

WHAT:             Guests can take in all that the ball has to offer while enjoying a live musical performance by Chrisette Michele, the Grammy Award-winning R&B artist whose latest album, EPIPHANY, recently debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The event will Honor Richard Beattie—chairman of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP and founder of New Visions for Public Schools; Prof. Lionel McIntyre—the Nancy and George Rupp associate professor in the Practice of Community Development and former director of the Graduate Program in Urban Planning and founding Director of Urban Technical Assistance Project at Columbia University; Kathryn Wilde—president and CEO of the nonprofit Partnership for New York City; and, Mortimer B. Zuckerman—chairman and editor-in-chief of U.S. News & World Report, publisher of the New York Daily News and co-founder and chairman of Boston Properties Inc.

WHEN:             Tuesday, June 2, 2009 at 7:00pm

WHERE:           The ADC Renaissance Tent on 

WHY:               Hosted by ADC founder—Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III—the Harlem Renaissance Ball will be an opportunity for ADC, its longtime partners, friends and constituents to come together and celebrate two decades of extraordinary accomplishments, programs and services that have contributed to the electrifying revival of the Harlem community.

RSVP:              To make a donation/RSVP, visit: http://www.adcorp.org/buy2.php

MEDIA

CONTACT:        Justin Kazmark: 212-561-7466; Justin.kazmark@morris-king.com

ABOUT

ADC:                Abyssinian Development Corporation (ADC) is a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit comprehensive community development corporation dedicated to improving the quality of life inHarlem.  For 20 years, ADC has helped to strengthen and rebuild the socioeconomic fabric of the Harlem community by developing housing, spearheading commercial development, stimulating the local economy, fostering education, strengthening families and building community capacity through civic engagement.  By providing quality affordable housing, social services, educational opportunities and economic development programs, ADC has played a key leadership role in the current “Harlem Renaissance.”  ADC has grown into a $58 million, 140 person agency with significant accomplishments including development of low-income housing, homeownership opportunities as well as commercial and retail development. ADC established the Thurgood Marshall Academy for Learning and Social Change, a public intermediate and high school, and its successor, opened in September of 2005, the Thurgood Marshall Academy Lower School.

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