Deluxe Dining, Ducks-Style
The Anaheim Ducks hosted the 16th annual Dux in Tux presented by Honda on Jan. 18 at the Hilton Anaheim. The evening featured Orange County’s most renowned chefs, who donated their time and talent to the cause. Paired with an Anaheim Duck player, coach or broadcaster as their “sous chef,” the chefs created a unique dining experience for a table of 12.
More than 500 guests attended the sold-out event, which raised $350,000 to support the Anaheim Ducks Foundation, including programs such as Ducks S.C.O.R.E. (Scholastic Curriculum of Recreation & Education), Learn to Play and Top Flight Street Hockey.
Chefs from 31 Orange County restaurants participated, including Frederic Castan of the Hilton Anaheim, Andrew Sutton of Napa Rose, Richard Hodge of Orange Hill, and Stephen LaFountain and Eduardo Albarran of Mastro’s Restaurants.
Hope through Housing
Wells Fargo & Co. announced $6 million in neighborhood revitalization donations with 69 grants to nonprofit groups across the country on Dec. 16, including a $125,000 grant to Habitat for Humanity Orange County.
The Wells Fargo Housing Foundation Priority Markets Program grant will be used for Habitat for Humanity Orange County’s Hand-Up Home Repair program, which provides financial assistance to limited-income homeowners for energy-efficient home improvements.
“The Priority Markets Program is one of thousands of ways we work together with nonprofits to support local communities,” said Douglas Hargraves, Wells Fargo senior vice president of business banking. “Wells Fargo supports Orange County with help in housing, financial literacy, small business and so many ways. We thank Habit for Humanity for allowing us to partner with them to help with affordable housing in one of the most expensive areas of the country.”
Mission Completed
The Mission Hospital 20th Anniversary Holiday Gala on Dec. 5 drew more than 500 community and business leaders. The $1.3 million raised through the event marks the completion of the hospital’s $200 million comprehensive campaign. The campaign focuses on four strategic areas of growth: advanced technology and facilities, training and education, community benefit programs for the underserved, and healthy-community initiatives.
The gala was at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point. For the 10th straight year, Nolet Spirits U.S.A. – The Nolet Family served as title sponsor. Other premier sponsors included Idit and Moti Ferder of Lugano Diamonds, and Orange County Neurosurgical Associates.
One of the highlights of the evening was the Fund A Need challenge, which raised nearly $650,000 to support adolescent and young-adult mental health and wellness at Mission Hospital Laguna Beach. The funds set the stage for a future hospital initiative to expand programs and services for vulnerable adolescents.
Generosity and Optimism
PIMCO Foundation, the Peter & Ginny Ueberroth Family Foundation, Rimrock Capital Management LLC, Anaheim Ducks & Honda Center, Angels Baseball, Deloitte and Disneyland Resort were among the main sponsors of the Orange County Community Foundation’s annual meeting on Nov. 18 at Hotel Irvine.
Nearly 700 business and community leaders and philanthropists convened at the meeting, where foundation President Shelley Hoss announced that the foundation awarded $59 million in grants and scholarships to hundreds of nonprofit organizations during its fiscal year ended June 30, bringing total grant and scholarship awards over its 25-year history to $360 million.Â
Social entrepreneur Jessica Jackley, co-founder of micro-lending website Kiva, delivered the keynote speech about how the power of one can influence many to drive change in the world.
Bits & Pieces
Orange County United Way is offering free tax-prep services for low-to-moderate income taxpayers throughout Orange County, a program that it says returned more than $14 million in refunds to 17,000 taxpayers last year. … Luna Grill celebrated the opening of its new location in Dana Point by donating $2,500, or 50%, of opening-day proceeds to Children’s Hospital Orange County. … More than 60 corporations, schools and faith groups provided Thanksgiving meals to almost 900 low-income families through Families Forward’s annual Thanksgiving food distribution program.
