Miracle of Mobility
Free Wheelchair Mission hosted its 21st annual Miracle of Mobility across four events in September and October.
The combined events raised more than $2.2 million, exceeding the total of any prior year. Orange County’s Miracle of Mobility was hosted at Segerstrom Center for the Arts on Sept. 12.
Guests enjoyed an array of engaging activities at the Orange County event, including virtual reality experiences, an interactive story wall, a photo booth, a silent auction and the wheelchair container auction.
Orange County event sponsors included F & M Bank, TriGuard, Wright Ford Young & Co., Cliffwater, Datapath, PR Construction, Thermal Vac, In & Out, Beacon Pointe Advisors, Jensen Investment Management, Mar Vista Investment Partners and American Realty Advisors.
Regional in-person events took place in Seattle and Boise, Idaho. The three regional Miracle of Mobility events drew more than 570 attendees in person, and the virtual event video has been played more than 352,000 times.
The virtual event included exclusive performances by musical artist Terrian and Jeremy Rosado, American Idol. All events highlighted videos and stories about wheelchair recipients from Kenya, Guatemala, Haiti and other countries worldwide.
“We are incredibly grateful for the generous support from everyone who joined us in person and virtually for Miracle of Mobility this year,” said Nuka Solomon, CEO, Free Wheelchair Mission. “Thanks to our sponsors, donors, partners, volunteers and staff, thousands of individuals will soon experience the transformative gift of mobility.”
The funds raised will enable the distribution of more than 23,000 wheelchairs to those in need, offering the life-changing gift of mobility to individuals who otherwise have limited access to such essential medical devices.
Crossing the Finish Line
KidWorks crossed the finish line with more than $400,000 earned at its First Annual Cars & Cocktails Fundraiser, the reimagined Foundation for Success luncheon.
All funds raised will directly benefit hundreds of KidWorks students as they continue their journey toward college and career success.
Held Nov. 14 at Finish Line Auto Club, a luxury car storage facility in Costa Mesa, the high-octane event featured car-themed cocktails like a Cadillac Margarita and a spin on a Cosmopolitan called a Midnight Drive.
The car theme continued with checkered flags atop tables and a gift bag that included a colorful car-shaped cookie.
Guests enjoyed dinner stations, desserts, a view of select rare cars and watched an inspiring program that included a testimonial featuring a KidWorks graduate who went on to graduate from Duke University in 2020.
U.S. Bank received the 2024 Dan Donahue Leadership Award. Over the last 15 years, U.S. Bank and the U.S. Bank Foundation have supported KidWorks with more than $600,000 in contributions, plus leadership and many volunteer hours.
The recent multi-year gift of $300,000 from the U.S. Bank Foundation has significantly funded KidWorks’ greatest needs.
The event’s presenting sponsors were American Career College, West Coast University and the Paula and Pat Donahue Family Foundation. The Change Maker Sponsor was ECM Management.
Additional sponsors included Bank of America, Frome Family Foundation, C.J. Segerstrom & Sons, Kyle and David Team/Waypoint Property Group, the Schriber Family Fund, U.S. Bank, Sheppard Mullin, PTS Marketing, Riemer & Braunstein LLP, Walker & Dunlop, Wells Fargo, Oltmans Construction Company, Air Control Systems, Baker Tilly, Bixby Capital Management, Chicago Title, Collaborative Therapies, Farmers & Merchants Bank, Langan CA, Inc., Panattoni Development Company, PNC Bank, Rutan & Tucker LLP, Scott S. Pollard Trustee/Winslow Maxwell Charitable Trust, Shea Properties and Shea Homes, and Smith and Severson Builders and Stuart Kane LLP.
Marking a Milestone
The Orange County Community Foundation (OCCF) celebrated a milestone anniversary on Nov. 21 with an event highlighting 35 years of philanthropic impact in Orange County, across the country and around the world.
Themed 35 Years of Growing the Good, the celebration, which featured a keynote by U.S. Ambassador Gaddi Vasquez, drew 750 philanthropists and community leaders to the Hyatt Regency Irvine, where they enjoyed musical performances by the Panther Jazz Band from Chapman University and MenAlive: the OC Gay Men’s Chorus, U.S. Army Master Sergeant Daniel Hadder and a presentation of OCCF’s 35-year milestones by the organization’s president Tammy Tumbling and Tracy Branson, chief financial officer of OCCF.
OCCF’s cumulative granting has now exceeded $1.1 billion to support a wide range of causes from education, health and human services to the environment, arts and culture and more through more than 650 charitable funds. In FY 2024, the foundation awarded over $86 million, confirming its role as the 7th most active grantmaker among 800 community foundations nationwide.
“As we look beyond our 35th year, we are committed to building an even stronger foundation for the future,” said Shelley Hoss, CEO of OCCF.
The Judith Swayne Leadership Award, named for the founder of OCCF, was presented to two nonprofit leaders with grants of $25,000:Â Miguel Hernandez, executive director, Orange County Congregation Community Organization (OCCCO).
Event sponsors, partners and underwriters included A Little Help Foundation, Patrick and Paula Donahue Family Foundation, Draper Family Fund, Joe MacPherson Foundation, The Keith and Judy Swayne Family Foundation Fund, Peter and Ginny Ueberroth Family Foundation, California State University, Fullerton, Edison International, Edwards Lifesciences Foundation, Gibson Dunn, Rimrock Capital Management, Samueli Foundation, UC Irvine Foundation, Ambassador Gaddi & Elaine Vasquez, Crevier Family Foundation, Pacific Symphony, Adelante Partners, Deloitte, Human Options, Northern Trust, Think Together and The Wooden Floor.
