honoring family-owned businesses

Family-owned businesses on the Upper East Side and East Harlem were the focus of this year’s CIVITAS Annual Benefit held May 2 at the House of the Redeemer in Carnegie Hill. Sixteen local businesses open for more than 25 years were honored, including Our Town and Jeanne Straus, who received the 2018 Community Service Award for Our Town’s continuing local coverage of neighborhood events. Pictured, left to right: CIVITAS Benefit Co-Chair Charles Devigne of Pescatore Restaurant; Jeanne Straus, Our Town Publisher; Betty Cooper Wallerstein of the East 79th St. Neighborhood Association; NY State Assemblywoman Rebecca Seawright; Greg McCarthy, CIVITAS Benefit Co-Chair; Jay Hershensen, VP of Queens College.