CASA Builds Children’s Advocacy
Applied Medical, Lugano Diamonds, PIMCO Foundation and Balenciaga were among the major sponsors of Court Appointed Special Advocates’ annual Celebration of Children: Black & White Ball on April 16 at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel in Dana Point.
The black-tie event raised more than $1 million, the highest net amount of any CASA event, all of which will support CASA’s mission to provide abused, abandoned and neglected children with a specially trained volunteer mentor-advocate who represents their needs in the foster care and family court system.
Kylie Schuyler, founder of Global G.L.O.W., and Douglas Hodge, chief executive of PIMCO, received the Children’s Champion award, CASA’s highest honor, for their personal dedication to children’s well-being while in the foster care system.
Applied Medical was honored as Outstanding Corporation for its support of the annual CASA Camp for foster youth and for its efforts to overhaul and update the CASA offices’ computer system.
SchoolPower to the Rescue
SchoolPower’s 31st annual dinner dance, “Calling All Superheroes,” shattered records by netting more than $350,000 for Laguna Beach schools. The funds will be used by Laguna Beach Unified School District to transform 12 classrooms at the high school, middle school, and the Thurston Library by paying for the installation of LCD displays, sound amplification and purchase of flexible furniture.
“Every upgraded space means more motivated and inspired teachers and students, and any time you have that combination, high-performing kids are a likely result,” said parent Brent Martini, founder of COVE Financial Group. “And that’s what this is all about … the fundamental belief that the better the learning environment, the better the learning, the better off our kids are.”
Over 300 guests attended the superhero-themed event, which included appearances by Superman and Wonder Woman impersonators.
Honors to the Givers
OneOC’s 40th annual Spirit of Volunteerism Awards luncheon, presented by the Orange County Register and Mazda, was sponsored by more than 65 companies, foundations and individuals, including Disneyland Resort, Pacific Life Foundation, Union Bank, Fluidmaster, PIMCO Foundation, Western Digital Foundation, Wells Fargo, Experian, Cox Communications, The Allergan Foundation, Bank of America, Edwards Lifesciences and PAAMCO. The event raised $395,000 in cash and in-kind contributions and drew a record crowd of more than 1,185.
OneOC said the luncheon is Orange County’s largest and longest-running volunteer recognition event. High School Inc. and Tom’s Truck were presented with the Giving is Living Award for their collaborative efforts to prepare Orange County youth to be career-ready and launch them into a successful future.
Who Needs a Gala?
Project Hope Alliance held its third annual Anti-Gala on April 7 at Strawberry Farms Golf Club. More than 250 Orange County business leaders and philanthropists attended the event, which was sponsored by Trace3, ADM Works, Laceroots Floral, Kendra Scott and Cattle Call LLC. The evening netted $250,000 for Project Hope Alliance, enough to secure permanent housing for more than 150 Orange County children and making it Project Hope Alliance’s most successful event to date.
Guests enjoyed a picnic-inspired dinner with comfort food favorites like barbecue chicken, grilled seasonal vegetables, and mashed potatoes, while surrounded by an “urban garden” atmosphere of string lights and organic floral arrangements.
The Anti-Gala included a wine wall where guests could purchase mystery bottles for $25 a pop. Guests also participated in an auction of items that included a Costa Rica retreat, a Santa Barbara getaway, and a Pebble Beach golf experience.
Bits & Pieces
El Viento, which serves underprivileged children in the Oak View neighborhood in Huntington Beach, welcomed NFL great Tony Gonzalez and his wife, October, as its newest ambassadors. … MOMS Orange County and Hoag Memorial Presbyterian received a $74,000 grant from the HealthCare Foundation of Orange County. … Science@OC, an Orange County nonprofit organization focused on strengthening public school science education, received a $15,000 grant from IBM.
