The event will honor Tom Kitt, Richard Kind, and Shachar G. Scott.
The Stuttering Association for the Young will host its 23rd Annual Benefit Gala on Monday, June 2, 2025, at the iconic Edison Ballroom in New York City’s theater district. The evening will be hosted by Tony Award-winning actress and singer Kelli O’Hara and Grammy Award-winning actor and singer Brandon Victor Dixon. This unforgettable event will celebrate the voices of young people who stutter, featuring inspiring performances, a seated dinner, and a powerful tribute to this year’s honorees—individuals whose leadership and advocacy are helping to uplift and empower young people who stutter.
This year, SAY proudly honors Richard Kind, an award-winning actor known for his beloved roles on stage and screen whose four decades-long career has captured hearts in film, television, and Broadway; Tom Kitt, the Pulitzer, Tony, Emmy, and Grammy-winning composer whose work has transformed the stage; and Shachar G. Scott, a global marketing force behind companies like Meta, Bumble, Snapchat, and Apple, and a longtime SAY Board Member. “Having seen this organization grow from “Our Time” to “SAY” has been to observe a small band of members expand into a large and thriving organization. It is my honor to know these people and to be honored by them” says actor Richard Kind, supporter and advocate of SAY for over 20 years.
Proceeds from this year’s event will help SAY continue to provide vital programming for kids and teens who stutter, including Camp SAY, a 2-week summer camp, individualized speech therapy, and the award-winning creative arts program Confident Voices, recipient of the prestigious National Art and Humanities Youth Program Award. “SAY builds community with kids and teenagers who stutter and our life-changing programs open doors of opportunity so they can flourish,” says SAY’s Executive Director, Russell Krumnow. “We're all better off when young people thrive and our supporters and advocates make that possible."
Today, over 80 million people stutter worldwide, including 5% of all children. “Young people who stutter often face daily ridicule, teasing, and bullying, and resort to silence to hide their stutter. Many will withdraw from peers, teachers, and society, leaving them feeling isolated and alone,” adds Travis Robertson, SAY’s Artistic Director. “SAY’s programming helps kids and teens understand that nothing should hold them back from anything they dream of doing.”
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