Casita Maria Fiesta! 2026 Gala Honors Hunt Slonem, Sonia Gutt de Haime and Ben Rodriguez-Cubeñas at The Plaza

At a Glance

• Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education brought its annual Fiesta! Gala back to The Plaza Hotel to celebrate the organization's 92nd anniversary, with chairs Jackie Weld Drake, Jean Shafiroff and HRH Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia.
• The sold-out benefit raised the most in its history and honored artist Hunt Slonem, philanthropist Sonia Gutt de Haime and Ben Rodriguez-Cubeñas, who received the Jackie Weld Drake Living Legend Award.
• Vice Chair Ben Rodriguez-Cubeñas announced a $100,000 commitment from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and challenged the room to match it; the paddle raise led by Paul Florez brought in more than $200,000 on the spot.
• Founded in 1934 in the South Bronx, Casita Maria is the first charitable organization to serve the Latino community in New York City.

Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education brought its annual Fiesta! Gala back to The Plaza Hotel with Chairs Jackie Weld Drake, Jean Shafiroff and HRH Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia, where longtime friends, artists, philanthropists and supporters gathered to celebrate the organization's 92nd anniversary.

The sold-out benefit raised the most to date, and honored artist Hunt Slonem, philanthropist Sonia Gutt de Haime and Ben Rodriguez-Cubeñas, who received the Jackie Weld Drake Living Legend Award.

Hunt Slonem, recognized for his exuberant paintings of bunnies and butterflies, was celebrated not only for his extraordinary career, with work displayed at The Met, Guggenheim, Whitney and more, but for the spirit of creativity he shares with Casita Maria's mission. "For the last 35 years I have attended and supported this Gala and Casita Maria," he said. "As a child, I wanted to be an artist due to the support I received in school. Casita Maria provides that same support, opening windows into the arts for many students in New York. Every child deserves a chance to dream, and together we can turn those dreams into reality."

"For 98 years you have touched the lives of so many. You have taught us how to love, how to give, how to persevere, and how to live a life of purpose," said Daniel Haime Gutt, presenting the award to his mother Sonia Gutt de Haime, who was surrounded by her entire family. A respected philanthropist involved in healthcare, education and the arts, she has long been part of New York's art world and a devout supporter of Casita Maria.

Supported from the audience by her three sisters Estrellita Brodsky, Martha Bograd and Mercedes Levin, Jackie Weld Drake said, "Kids have come to us from underserved communities, with limited vocabulary and opportunities. Your support here helps us improve the quality of life for countless children, adults, and their families."

It was the quintessential New York evening, a beautiful ballroom filled with familiar faces, including Jean Shafiroff in a Malan Breton turquoise ballgown, and in true Fiesta! fashion the event was light on speeches and heavy on dancing, with music provided by Bob Hardwick Sound.

"I am proud to announce that the Rockefeller Brothers Fund just committed $100,000 to Casita Maria, a number I challenge us to match tonight," said Ben Rodriguez-Cubeñas, Casita Maria's Vice Chair. His challenge was met with enthusiasm, fueling the evening's lively paddle raise led by Paul Florez, with over $200,000 raised on the spot. Rodriguez-Cubeñas continued, "For years, I have watched Casita Maria help the next generation of artists, teachers, doctors, and scientists from our own community. They teach our kids to read, learn, but also to imagine, create, and see themselves in their own story. These are the gifts Casita Maria gives our kids every single day."

Over the years, the annual Fiesta! celebration has honored artists, designers, performers, philanthropists and cultural figures, including Audrey Hepburn, Margot Fonteyn, Oscar de la Renta, Paloma Picasso, Gloria Estefan, Mary McFadden and Baz Luhrmann.

Notable attendees included Board Members George Corton, Alberto Mariaca, Patrick Moran, Gautam Patel, Darlyn Portes and Thomas Quick, Casita Maria Executive Director Felix Urrutia, Artistic Director Gail Heidel, Frederick Anderson, Martha Bograd, Jimmy Borynak, Halim Bulos, Gabriel Rivera Barraza, Estrellita and Daniel Brodsky, Sharon Bush, Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin, Fe and Alessandro Fendi, Gloria and Carey Fieldcamp, Sissi Fleitas, Roberta Houghton, Kamie Lightburn, Alicia Lubowski-Jahn, Elizabeth Meigher, Juan Montoya, Maribel Lieberman, Victor Roquette, Marc Rosen, Mary Snow, Adrienne and Gigi Vittadini, Saundra Whitney, Hal Witt and Adolfo Zaralegui.

Founded in 1934, Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education is the first charitable organization to serve the Latino community in New York City, with a nearly century-long legacy of strengthening children, families and communities through arts and education. Based in the South Bronx, Casita Maria provides free, high-quality arts and education programs for young people, including academic support, arts training, paid teen apprenticeships, career readiness and preparation for college and the workforce. For generations, the organization has served as a vital cultural and educational home for the community, nurturing artists, leaders and changemakers. Its programs celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the Bronx while giving young people the tools and opportunities to learn, create and thrive. For further information, visit casitamaria.org.

Hunt Slonem is an American neo-expressionist artist recognized for his paintings of rabbits, butterflies and tropical birds, as well as sculpture and his restoration of historic properties. Inspired by nature and the exotic birds with which he lives and works, Slonem has developed a distinctive visual language built around repetition, vivid color and expressive brushwork. His work is represented in the permanent collections of approximately 250 museums worldwide, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Whitney Museum of American Art, Joan Miró Foundation and New Orleans Museum of Art.

Jean Shafiroff is a philanthropist, humanitarian, TV host, writer and the author of the book "Successful Philanthropy: How to Make a Life By What You Give." Jean works extensively as a volunteer fundraiser and leader in the philanthropic world. She serves on the boards of eight charitable organizations and each year chairs upwards of eight to ten different charity galas. She also hosts and underwrites many large parties in her homes for different nonprofits. Among the many causes she champions are those involved in women's rights, rights of underserved populations, health care and animal welfare. In addition to hosting her own TV show, entitled Successful Philanthropy, Jean Shafiroff often appears on TV shows and podcasts and in the press about her fashion and philanthropy. She is an international leader who strives to motivate people of all ages and backgrounds to get involved in the philanthropic process.

Jean Shafiroff serves on the boards of the French Heritage Society, Southampton Hospital Foundation, NYC Mission Society, Couture Council of the Museum at FIT, New York Women's Foundation, Casita Maria, Global Strays and Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation Honorary Board. In addition, she is a member of the Advisory Board of the Historical Society of Palm Beach County. A Catholic, Jean served on the board of the Jewish Board for 28 years and is now one of their honorary trustees. Jean Shafiroff has been honored numerous times by a variety of charitable organizations for her work and is regarded as being among the leading ladies of philanthropy.