About Larry Selman
Larry Selman was born on April 2, 1942 and grew up in the East New York section of Brooklyn, NY. Community involvement and fundraising were always a part of Larry’s life.
When he was 13, Larry raised money for United Cerebral Palsy without his parents prompting or help. Larry Selman has spent much of his life raising money for charity. He does not feel attached to a particular charity. He raises the money because he enjoys being part of something making a difference.
Later in his life, Larry asked his uncle if he could move to Greenwich Village. Not long after Larry moved to his apartment on Bedford Street, he began to attend meetings for the Bedford-Barrow-Commerce Block Association. They wanted to improve the neighborhood by planting trees, but they needed money for the saplings. They decided to have a raffle as a fundraiser, and Larry offered to help sell raffle tickets.
Year after year, Larry raised money for the block association, while he continued to live on government assistance. Currently, Larry is still out on Bedford Street raising money for organizations including:
- Muscular Dystrophy Association- For two years, Larry was the largest single fundraiser in the New York City Metropolitan area during their “Be a Star” campaign.
- St. Vincent᾿s Pediatric AIDS Clinic- Larry was honored for raising $1100 for the clinic.
- AIDS Walk- Raised $1522
- Juvenile Diabetes
- United Cerebral Palsy and many more
In 2009, Larry was a recipient of The Caring Award given by The Caring Institute for his dedication to helping others. Read more about Larry Selman and The Caring Award.
On January 20th, 2013 Larry passed away at Beth Israel Hospital in New York City. His very big heart stopped. He was 70 years old.
The New York Times and NPR ran obituaries singling out his very unique contribution to our lives. CBS’ Sunday Passage also aired a video tribute. Click the links below to be directed to these commemorations.