On April 26, North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center, the preeminent not-for-profit children’s mental health agency on Long Island, raised more than $68,000 to support our mission to restore and strengthen the emotional well-being of children and their families.

The event, which took place at Glen Head Country Club, began with exciting games of Mahjong, Canasta and Bridge, along with unique shopping boutiques from some of Long Island’s trendiest and most charitable small business owners, including Dale’s Novelty Knits, Dash, Designs That Donate, iThrive, Kostume Klassics, Museum Coffee House and RFC Fine Jewelry, among others.

Following the delicious luncheon buffet came a most informative and engaging presentation by keynote speaker Dr. Victor M. Fornari.

Fornari is Director of the Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at The Zucker Hillside Hospital and Cohen’s Children’s Medical Center and Professor of Psychiatry & Pediatrics at the Donald & Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. He discussed the latest developments in the field of children’s mental health, focusing on the Mobility study currently being done in conjunction with the Guidance Center and others of a medication named Metformin.

“The purpose of this study is to determine if adding Metformin to a healthy lifestyle program would help children and teens control weight gain caused by certain medications,” said Fornari. He explained that a large percentage of some anti-psychotic medications for children and adolescents cause weight gain, which increases the risk of developing Type II diabetes as well as cardiovascular, neurological and digestive conditions.

Fornari cited “the courage” of Dr. Reena Nandi, the Guidance Center’s Director of Psychiatric Services, Executive Director Andrew Malekoff and other Guidance Center colleagues for playing such a central role in this study. He also said that the Guidance Center is “the most productive of all of our partners.”

He also told the audience that this is the largest pediatric psychopharmacological study ever funded by PCORI, the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute.

“We are proud to partner with such a prestigious and patient-outcome drive study,” said Nandi. “We’re eagerly awaiting the results, which could have a dramatic impact on the health of children and adolescents.”

The luncheon couldn’t have been so successful without the hard work of our co-chairs, Jan Ashley, Amy Cantor and Alexis Siegel. “For several years, these three dedicated Guidance Center supporters have taken on the formidable task of organizing this exciting and informative event,” said Malekoff. “Their dedication to our mission is unwavering.”

We are also grateful for the support of our sponsors, without whom we couldn’t host such a terrific event. They are: The Children’s Medical Center at NYU Winthrop Hospital; Ruth Fortunoff Cooper; Americana Manhasset; Nancy Lane; Andrea Leeds; Signature Bank; Amy Cantor; Fara Copell; Klipper Family Foundation; Tracey Murray Kupferberg, CBR; Power Travel; Raich Ender Malter & Co. LLP; Alexis Siegel; Linda Cronin; Ann Dorman & Kenneth Adler; Joan Grant; Carol Marcell; Nanci Roth; and Carol Wolowitz.