Guests Gather for an Afternoon at the Silversteins' Water Mill Estate

Guests Gather for a Purposeful Afternoon at the Silversteins' Water Mill EstatePhoto Credit: Dave Warren SIPA for AP

Philanthropy in Full Bloom: Patricia and Roger Silverstein Host Kickoff Brunch for 2025 Hamptons Garden Gala

In Support of the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation, the Silversteins Open Their Water Mill Estate to Launch a Summer of Purpose-Driven Elegance in the Hamptons

A Summer Season Rooted in Purpose

On a sunlit afternoon in Water Mill, Patricia and Roger Silverstein welcomed guests into their Hamptons home for an intimate kickoff brunch in honor of the 5th Annual Hamptons Garden Gala, benefitting the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) Foundation. As longtime philanthropists and Co-Chairs of the event, the Silversteins gathered close friends and supporters to mark the official start of the gala season—infusing the social calendar with mission-driven momentum.

Hosts Patricia and Roger SilversteinPhoto Credit: Dave Warren SIPA for AP

Held on the grounds of their elegant estate, the brunch was more than a prelude to August’s marquee event; it was a reaffirmation of commitment to a cause that remains urgent, personal, and deeply impactful.

Familiar Faces and Shared Focus

Among the afternoon’s guests were Jean Shafiroff, Noreen Donovan, Peter Thomas Roth, Brian and Carrie Packin, James Byrnes, Rebecca Seawright, and others from the philanthropic and civic spheres. Together, they toasted the work of the Silverstein Dream Foundation and its partnership with the DRI Foundation, whose singular mission—to fund research that will cure diabetes—remains the beating heart of the gala.

The brunch set the tone for what’s to come: an event season grounded not just in celebration, but in community and progress.

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Looking Ahead: The 5th Annual Hamptons Garden Gala

Scheduled for Saturday, August 9, 2025, the Hamptons Garden Gala will once again be held at the Silverstein residence in Water Mill. Designed as a sophisticated blend of garden-party charm and gala polish, the evening will include:

A lavish cocktail reception
An elegant seated dinner
Silent and live auctions
Live entertainment and dancing
Opportunities to directly support groundbreaking research and innovation in diabetes care

The evening reflects the unique ethos of the gala: part Hamptons soiree, part philanthropic accelerator—where summer style and serious impact go hand in hand.

Atmosphere at the Brunch for 2025 Hamptons Garden GalaPhoto Credit: Dave Warren SIPA for AP

The Work Behind the Celebration

At the center of it all is the Silverstein Dream Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to accelerating solutions for diabetes and its related complications. Its work spans academic research support, preventive health programs, and early-stage investments in transformative technologies—a strategic model designed to address both the present and future needs of those living with chronic disease.

The Foundation's ongoing collaboration with the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation amplifies these efforts. Based in Florida, with a regional office in New York, the DRI Foundation is globally recognized for its singular focus: to fund the Diabetes Research Institute until a cure is found. Its urgency is unmistakable—and its impact, far-reaching.

As anticipation builds for August’s gala, the kickoff brunch served as both a celebration and a call to action. In the hands of the Silversteins and their extended community, the Hamptons summer once again proves to be more than a backdrop—it becomes a platform for meaningful change.

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