buildOn Gala 2026: Thirty-Five Years of Service, Celebrated at Manhattan Center
Craig Melvin hosts and NBCUniversal's Karen Kovacs is honored as the school-building and service-learning nonprofit marks its 35th year on Thursday, November 19.
Thirty-five years ago, Jim Ziolkowski left a career in corporate finance to start an organization built on a simple, demanding idea: that young people in America's cities could change their own lives by serving others, and that a school in a village halfway around the world could change many more. On Thursday, November 19, buildOn will celebrate what has come of that idea at its 2026 gala at Manhattan Center, on West 34th Street, in what the organization calls "an inspiring evening that celebrates service, education, and the collective impact of 35 years."
What the charity supports
buildOn connects service and education, with young people taking action in their communities and a wider effort to expand access to learning. The purpose is to create opportunity through participation rather than treating those served as passive recipients. Explore the organization’s work.
Where support goes
The gala supports buildOn’s service and education mission. The brief reservation form does not identify a restricted use of this year’s receipts. The organization’s own program materials provide the appropriate context for its work in communities and schools. Read its financial and impact reporting.
The people behind the work
Students, educators, community participants, staff and supporters are the people behind the mission. Their involvement is the reason to look beyond the gala itself: the work happens through continuing relationships and practical projects. Follow buildOn’s official account of its programs and team. Meet the organization.
Why this evening matters
Anniversary galas can tilt toward nostalgia, but buildOn's 35th has the energy of an organization still very much in motion, with a school rising somewhere every couple of days. The pairing of a high-profile host from TODAY with a roster of vice chairs from Salesforce, GE Aerospace, WPP and NBC Sports signals the kind of corporate room in which serious philanthropy gets done, while the alum's story at the center of the program keeps the evening grounded in the students it serves. Manhattan Center, a storied West Side venue, gives the night a sense of scale, and the business-or-cocktail dress code suits a weeknight crowd coming straight from the office.
The date and how to take part
2026-11-19 · Manhattan Center, 311 West 34th Street, Manhattan. Read our event guide for the evening’s details and visit the organizer for tickets, tables or admission inquiries. A public event page does not guarantee that tickets remain available or that every package includes the same access.
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