The 80th Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, which benefits women and children in need, is scheduled for October 16 at the newly reopened Waldorf Astoria New York.
The event, hosted by Cardinal Timothy Michael Dolan, Archbishop of New York, will feature keynote remarks by former Secretaries of State Antony J. Blinken and Michael R. Pompeo, with Robert K. Kraft as the recipient of the 2025 Happy Warrior Award.
Kraft is the founder, chairman, and CEO of the Kraft Group. He is an American entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist, and owner and CEO of the New England Patriots, among other holdings.
Pompeo served as the 70th Secretary of State from 2018 to 2021. Before becoming Secretary of State, he served as director of the Central Intelligence Agency and as a Congressman from Kansas.
Blinken served as the 71st Secretary of State from 2021 to 2025. He also served as deputy secretary of state from 2015-2017 and as Democratic staff director for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, held annually on the third Thursday of October at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, is hosted by the Archbishop of New York and raises funds for charities supporting vulnerable women and children in the Archdiocese of New York.
Established to honor the legacy of four-time New York Governor Alfred E. Smith, the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation supports Catholic charitable works throughout the New York metropolitan area through its annual dinner and other fundraising activities.
“The upcoming event will mark the 80th anniversary of this distinguished gathering, adding special significance to its return to the historic venue. The dinner has been a fixture of New York’s social and political calendar for decades, traditionally bringing together presidential candidates in election years for an evening of humor and charity,” coordinators said in a statement.
“The Smith Dinner’s triumphant return to its traditional home at the Waldorf Astoria New York represents a significant milestone for both the prestigious charity event and Manhattan’s hospitality landscape. After an eight-year closure for extensive renovations, the iconic hotel reopened in 2025, restoring the legendary Park Avenue landmark to its former grandeur,” the statement said.
It said the 2024 dinner raised a record of almost $10 million, demonstrating the enduring appeal and importance of the charitable tradition, also noting, “The reunion of the Al Smith Dinner with the Waldorf Astoria reinforces both institutions’ roles as cornerstones of New York’s cultural and philanthropic heritage.”