The $15 advanced invitations were sold out and a line of people struggled at the door to buy one of the 100 extra tickets to get past the bouncers and into BED, a rooftop nightclub in Chelsea, Manhattan. By the end of the night, on May 10, 650 New York City partygoers had helped raise US$13,000 for Quixote, a social project that serves high-risk children and teenagers in São Paulo. The party’s success was thanks to the drive of four 24-year-old friends who were inspired by BrazilFoundation’s mission.

Fernanda Azevedo, Gabriella Seiler, Juliana Pereira and Stephanie Mata share a desire to help Brazil. The idea began with Gabriella at BrazilFoundation’s fifth anniversary party in October at the club Cain. She enjoyed the night so much she decided to organize a benefit. Juliana and Fernanda were already planning a party to get their Brazilian friends together; after learning about BrazilFoundation’s work, they decided to join forces with Gabriella and raise money from the event to invest in a social project in Brazil. Stephanie also joined in.

After going through BrazilFoundation’s extensive “project databank,” Gabriella, Fernanda, Juliana and Stephanie decided on Projeto Quixote as a way to put into action their dream of helping children through education. Juliana Pereira, who works at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, said she liked Quixote’s strategy of reaching children with art.

The funds raised will go to create a shelter for 50 children. Projeto Quixote seeks to create emotional ties with young people who are suffering from drug addiction, abandonment, abuse, and homelessness. The project, which has benefited more than 2,000 children in São Paulo, provides medical and psychological care while reaching out to the troubled youth with classes in art, dance, and professional skills.

It was hard to reconcile all the extra work with their busy schedules but the friends managed to pay close attention to every detail from choosing the music to setting up a website dedicated to the event, with the help of another BrazilFoundation volunteer, Amauri Aguiar. The result was an undeniable success: the DJ Johnny and a Brazilian batucada kept dancers moving until 3:00 AM. Churrascaria Plataforma, Churrascaria Porcão, Pizzaria Piola and Metropolis Wine Merchants gave out prizes to the guests. “It took a lot of energy, but it was worth it,” Fernanda Azevedo said.

The four plan to continue with their social commitment and already have a new goal in sight: they joined BrazilFoundation’s youth committee and are energizing efforts to organize the annual gala on September 14, 2006, at Cipriani’s.

By Carolina Widmer

Gabriella Seiler, Stephanie Mata, Fernanda Azevedo and Juliana Pereira.

Ana Walsh and Henry Schimitt.

Beatriz Canepa, Tânia Menai and Carmen Bedoya.

Elen de Paula, Patrick Brennan and Rejane Brito, and Jim Brennan.

Lucie, Emily, Carrie and Eliza.

Luis Henrique Pavam, Seth and Aline Cohen, Lauren and Bryan.

Robert Moldavia, Anthony Caleamia, Roberto Azevedo, Mark San.

Stephanie Mata, Andrea Dorfzaun, Shirley Lodono, Gabriella Seiler.