Doe Fund to honor supporters at annual gala event.

The Doe Fund, one of New York's most respected and successful homeless service organizations, will honor Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the City of New York, as well as Doe Fund Board Chairman Michael J. Gantcher, at its 11th annual "What New York Needs" Gala benefit.

The benefit will be held October 27 at The Pierre hotel on Fifth Avenue and 61st Street.

ABC News and 20/20 correspondent John Stossel will serve as master of ceremonies for the benefit, which is expected to raise over $2 million, the most in the gala's 11-year history. Stephen M. Ross, chairman and CEO of The Related Companies, L.P, is the gala chairman.

Vice Chairs of the gala include Jeff T. Blau, president, The Related Companies, L.P.; Cecily M. Carson, trustee, Carson Family Charitable Trust; Greg D. Jakubowsky, partner, Alkeon Capital Management; Craig Lucas, general partner, director of research, Zimmer-Lucas Partners, LLC; Peter I. Resnick, executive managing director, Jack Resnick & Sons, Inc.; Richard M. Schaps, chairman and CEO, Van Wagner Communications LLC; Donna and Marvin Schwartz; and Carol and Robert Tannenhauser.

The Doe Fund operates the Ready, Willing & Able (RWA) street-cleaning program which has helped nearly 2,000 formerly homeless people become self-sufficient.

The guests of honor are being feted for their long support of The Doe Fund, which provides formerly homeless people with paid work opportunities, job training, drug-free housing and other support services so that they may become self-sufficient.

Dressed in distinctive blue uniforms with the RWA logo on the back, the formerly homeless RWA workers, nicknamed the "men in blue," work paid jobs sweeping up New York City streets and collecting trash. During this time, they live in drug-free, crime-free Doe Fund transitional housing.