Honoring Top Philanthropists
Orange County’s top philanthropists, business leaders and individuals were honored at the 32nd Annual National Philanthropy Day Awards Luncheon attended by 920 guests on Nov. 16 at City National Grove of Anaheim.
Orange County Business Journal was the presenting sponsor, PBS SoCal the platinum broadcast media sponsor and Orange County Register the community media sponsor.
The event was themed “Take Action! Create Change!” It raised more than $80,000 to support the advancement of philanthropy.
Awards included the Legacy Award, presented to the Ueberroth Family Foundation; Outstanding Small Business, honoring Shulman Hodges & Bastian LLP; Outstanding Midsize Business, received by Service Champions Heating & Air Conditioning; and Outstanding Large Corporation went to Bank of America.
More Than Talk
Talk About Curing Autism held its 12th annual Ante Up for Autism casino and gala event at the Waterfront Beach Resort in Huntington Beach on Oct. 27.
Guests, sponsors, celebrities and poker professionals came together for the casino-themed fundraiser, made possible by title co-sponsors Happy Families and Courtney and Josh Ungaro, founder of Allied Solution Group. The sold-out event raised more than $700,000, surpassing its fundraising goal.
The proceeds will provide critical resources for the rapidly growing number of families affected by autism.
Capstone Partners Financial and Insurance Services LLC was one of the sponsors.
Holiday Cheer
Women of Chapman, a group of philanthropic-minded women dedicated to a program of service to Chapman University, hosted its annual Christmas at the Ritz holiday luncheon on Dec. 8.
The fundraiser, an Orange County tradition since 1986, netted more than $282,000 and drew 320 guests.
A highlight of the event, which was held at the Fashion Island Hotel in Newport Beach, was the raffle drawing.
While the event is no longer at the once famous Ritz restaurant, its former Chef Arthur Shegog auctioned off a private dinner where the winning bidder can order any of the restaurant’s old favorites like the Ritz eggs or the wild mushroom cappuccino.
The dinner went for $9,000, tops at the event and even more popular than cashmere fox capes, two of which went for $3,300 apiece.
Forever Friends
Friends of CASA, a fundraising auxiliary of Court Appointed Special Advocates, hosted its 2018 Holiday Luncheon on Dec.13 at Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point.
This year’s luncheon had a record-breaking net for the fifth year in a row—with more than $452,000 that will go directly to supporting CASA’s mission of recruiting, training, and supervising community volunteers who mentor and advocate for children in the foster care system.
The luncheon and fashion show, which began as a Holiday Tea, is in its 23nd year of existence and has brought in more than $4 million since 1995.
Bits & Pieces
Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County received a $275,000 grant from the Dhont Family Foundation in support of one of its most promising initiatives, the Grocery Rescue Program, which accounts for 40% of all donations to the charity and addresses a large area of food waste … Human Options was awarded a $15,000 grant from Edwards Lifesciences Corp. in support of their expanding Residential Program, which serves approximately 170 to 180 women and 250 to 270 children … The “Light a Light of Love” holiday celebration, which includes the lighting of a giant snowflake on the Huntington Beach pier, raised more than $120,000 to benefit Waymakers’ Huntington Beach Youth Shelter, a “safe haven” for homeless, runaway, abused and at-risk youth.
