$1 Billion Target
Nearly 750 philanthropy, business and community leaders gathered for Orange County Community Foundation’s (OCCF’s) 30th Anniversary annual meeting on Nov. 20.
While addressing the sold-out Hotel Irvine audience, OCCF President and CEO Shelley Hoss said the Foundation will reach $1 billion in cumulative granting by their 35th anniversary in 2024.
“We renew our commitment to unleash the philanthropic potential of our donors and partners,” she said, “to pioneer solutions to our region’s most pressing challenges and to channel our expertise into meaningful impact, now and for generations to come.”
OCCF awarded $69 million in the 2019 fiscal year, putting it in the top 1% of grantmaking activity among U.S. community foundations.
OCCF’s 30th Anniversary backers included City of Hope; Anaheim Ducks; Armanino LLP; Broadcom Foundation; Crevier Classic Cars; Edwards Lifesciences Foundation; Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP; Los Angeles Angels; Los Angeles Chargers; Think Together; Wright Ford Young & Co.; Western Digital; Deloitte and Donahue Schriber.
Celebrate Survivors
Kure It Cancer Research held its Let’s Save Lives Gala for 250 guests to raise funds for research on underfunded cancers on Nov. 9 at City National Grove of Anaheim. Net proceeds of $260,000 will back the research.
This year’s Kaprielian Cup, Kure It’s most highly regarded annual award, was bestowed on City National Bank for its vital role in the community, and, in particular, for its generous donations to Kure It Cancer Research. President Chris Warmuth, accepted the award saying, “We are honored to be on this journey with Kure It.”
Kure It also said it’s committing $1 million over five years for University of California-Irvine cancer research program. Funds will generate $90,000 for research each year in perpetuity and endow a chair in the effort.
Event sponsors included City National Bank, Briggs Electric, Brown and Charbonneau, Damato Associates, DRC, Westport Properties/US Storage Centers, Sperry Equities, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Leeson Group, Crevier Family Foundation, Elite OC Productions and Winslow Maxwell Charitable Trust.
Sisters and Friends
Fristers raised $166,000 at its second Celebration Gala Sept. 27 at the Port Theatre in Corona del Mar. The name blends the words “friends” and “sisters”; the group helps teen parents build healthy, stable lives.
The evening event drew 135 guests who support Fristers’ mission to support OC teen parents as they get drivers’ licenses, graduate high school, enroll in college or vocational schools, find employment and become role models to their children.
Newport Beach-based CT Realty was the gala’s “Community Changemaker” title sponsor. Other supporters included Angels Baseball, George T. Pfleger Foundation, CMF Inc., Godes & Preis LLP, McCollister’s Transportation and Milestone Risk Management.
Scouting Report
Nearly 300 Orange County community and business leaders came together Nov. 8 for the 10th annual Girl Scouts of Orange County’s Celebrate Leadership event, which recognizes OC champions of girls and women. Sponsors included Angels Baseball Foundation, Cox, Kaiser Permanente, Western Digital, Blizzard Entertainment, KPMG, Teacher Created Materials Publishing, Beacon Pointe Advisors, Capital Group, Experian, Los Angeles Chargers, OC Fair & Event Center, Deloitte, Knott’s Berry Farm and Orange County Department of Education.
Held at Fashion Island Hotel in Newport Beach, the recognition celebration raised $280,000 to support leadership development programs, in which nearly 20,000 Girl Scouts, from every OC zip code, participated. The funding will allow Girl Scouts to reach more girls across OC with life-changing benefits.
This year’s Celebrate Leadership honorees included Carole Moreno, co-owner, Angels Baseball; J. Allen Brack, president, Blizzard Entertainment; the Orange County United Way’s Women’s Philanthropy Fund; and Top Workplace Impact Honorees Experian, Gensler and Kaiser Permanente.
Bits & Pieces
More than 75 City National colleagues took part in the bank’s Annual Community Pride Day, volunteering at Second Harvest to help sort and pack food boxes for food insecure families and children for Thanksgiving … Cox Charities awarded $50,000 in grants to 10 nonprofits for initiatives that focus on youth, education, conservation, and the military, including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County, Brackens Kitchen, Child Creativity Lab, Homefront America and OC Rescue Mission … Irvine Barclay Theatre added five new board members: Lance S. Holman, president and CEO, Holman Capital Corp.; Richard Ruszat, founder, Montessori Schools of Irvine; Cheryll Ruszat, executive director, Montessori Schools of Irvine; Paul Short, managing partner, RSM; and Gary Fabian, CFO, Realty One Group.
