One of New York City’s most cherished comedy benefit events celebrates two decades of heart and humor this summer. On Wednesday, June 25th, the 20th Annual Russell Ferber Foundation Comedy FUN!draiser returns for an unforgettable evening of laughter, community, and giving back.

Hosted by stand-up comedian and podcaster Jordon Ferber, this special night brings together top comedic talent, delicious bites, wine and beer, and a host of incredible raffle and silent auction prizes — all in support of empowering aspiring culinary students and honoring the memory of Russell Ferber.

This year’s all-star comedy lineup includes:

• Jordan Carlos (The Nightly Show, First Wives Club)

• Greg Wilson (Comedy Central, The Neighborhood)

• Janeane Garofalo (SNL, Wet Hot American Summer, Reality Bites)

The Foundation’s Story
Russell Ferber was just 21 years old when his life was tragically cut short in a car accident on July 6, 2002 — just days after completing his Baking and Pastry Arts degree at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA). To honor his memory and keep his passion alive, the Ferber family founded The Russell Ferber Foundation in 2003. Its mission: to help young people pursue dreams that mirror Russell’s own—through culinary education, scholarship, and support for those with learning differences.

Where Your Support Goes
The Foundation proudly partners with C-CAP (Careers through Culinary Arts Program), offering inner-city high school students access to culinary training and mentorship. It also funds a fully endowed scholarship at CIA, and contributes to the VCS Russell Ferber Memorial Fund, which provides educational and psychological services to students with learning differences at Village Community School.

Come Celebrate and Support a Great Cause
This year’s event is generously sponsored by Grandaisy Bakery and Jeremy’s Ale House. Guests will also meet some of the Foundation’s talented pastry scholars—and even sample a few of their creations.

📅 Wednesday, June 25, 2025
🕡 Doors open at 6:30 PM | 🎤 Comedy show starts at 8:00 PM
📍 Village Community School – 272 West 10th Street, NYC

🎟️ Tickets & Info: www.russellferberfoundation.org/this-years-fundraiser

About Jordon Ferber
A veteran of the NYC comedy scene, Jordon Ferber is the host of Where’s the Grief? — a podcast featuring conversations with comedians who’ve experienced loss. As a bereaved sibling and public speaker, Jordon channels humor into healing, helping others process grief through laughter. He produces the annual FUN!draiser in honor of his brother Russell and may or may not have written this entire bio in the third person.

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When life hurts, you’ll be glad When The Saints Come LAUGHING In! Death is an inevitable part of life, but we don’t always talk about it until faced with its realities. Grief and loss can be isolating, but laughter can be as cathartic as crying, especially when shared with others.

Comedians Jordon Ferber and Samantha Bednarz tackle tough topics in this one-night-only comedy extravaganza hosted by Alan Pedersen.

This year marks the 5th consecutive year that Jordon Ferber produces a comedy show to complement the annual national convention for The Compassionate Friends (TCF), a non-profit organization supporting bereaved parents, grandparents, and siblings across the U.S.

Comedy and tragedy are often intertwined, and we should rejoice in laughing at the darkest parts of our humanity.

The Compassionate Friends (TCF) 47th Annual National Conference, an event offering inspiration, support, and connection for those grieving the death of a child, grandchild, or sibling, is coming to New Orleans from July 12 – 14. The conference gathers over 1,000+ individuals from across North America in a supportive setting with others who understand the devastating loss of a child, grandchild, or sibling.

Attendees find renewed hope and support, as well as tools, information, and strategies for coping with grief. They make connections, find inspiration, and receive support and understanding. Lifelong friendships are formed and deepened each year at TCF conferences.

New Orleans’ resilience in the face of tragedy, rich traditions of remembering those who have died, and ability to rise from the devastation of loss make it the perfect location for this hopeful and supportive event.

The Compassionate Friends exists to provide highly personal comfort, hope, and support to bereaved parents, grandparents, and siblings, and to help family, friends, community members, and professionals better understand the impact of grief and how to help those who are grieving.

Event Details:

• Date: Thursday, July 11th
• Time: Doors open at 7pm, show at 8pm
• Location: The Howlin’ Wolf New Orleans, 907 S Peters Street
• Tickets: Available at https://laughlife.standuptix.com/events/when-the-saints-come-laughing-in

About the Performers:

Jordon Ferber is a stand-up comedian, podcaster, and bereaved sibling. A veteran of the NYC comedy scene, Jordon is a unique public speaker and producer of “Where’s the Grief?,” a podcast with (mostly) comedians who have experienced tragic loss. He and his family run The Russell Ferber Foundation, providing scholarships to the Culinary Institute of America. Jordon produces a yearly comedy benefit show for the foundation, continuing to bring people together and carry on his brother Russell’s spirit through love and laughter.

Samantha Bednarz, also a bereaved sibling and native New Yorker, is a deeply personal storyteller with a penchant for aggression. Her style is best described as controlled chaos. After more than a decade in the NYC Comedy Scene, she moved to New Orleans in December 2021 and quickly became part of the local comedy scene. She has opened for nationally touring acts and been featured in the 2023 Hell Yes Fest, 2023 Nola Comedy Fest, and the 2023 LGBTLOL Festival.

Alan Pedersen is an award-winning songwriter, recording artist, comedian, and nationally recognized speaker on grief and loss. Alan’s life changed forever on August 15, 2001, when his oldest child and only daughter Ashley died in an automobile accident. He turned his journey through grief into a tribute to Ashley's life. As the former executive director of The Compassionate Friends, he has spent years bringing people together to aid in the healing process through love, laughter, and music.

This press release is distributed by the Newsworthy.ai™ Press Release Newswire - News Marketing Platform™. Reference URL for this press release is here.