A weeknight fundraiser held at LA Live raised up to $115,000 for Children’s Bureau, a Los Angeles-based non-profit organization that provides services in child abuse prevention and treatment.
Attendees on September 21 were treated to specialty dishes created by eight gourmet chefs who flew in from around the United States for that one evening and an array of fine wines. The Staples Center Foundation and parent company AEG Worldwide made the venue held on the Target Terrace possible.
Event chair Julia Stewart, CEO of Dine Equity, told me they held the function on a Tuesday evening to make the event feel less formal and more like a casual “after work” affair.
There were 300 tickets sold at $250 each with the balance of money raised through a silent auction.
“Everything was donated,” said Ms. Stewart, “from the food and location to the photographer.” She emphasized that 100% of the proceeds would go to Children’s Bureau programs.
Fedele Bauccio of Bon Appetit Management arranged the chefs who came from Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and Maine and assisted in organizing nine wineries for the evening.
I asked him why businesses should get involved with non-profit organizations and Fedele replied, “It’s the right thing to do.”
The President and CEO of Children’s Bureau, Alex Morales, said “resources are more thin; yet businesses and individuals are being generous with their time and money. They’re discovering they’re getting a good return for their investment in our non-profit business model.”
Children’s Bureau hosts several fundraising events per year to generate the income needed to carry out a diverse range of community programs that include but are not limited to:
- helping families get access to medical and dental care
- providing parent education and support
- giving children safe homes and permanent homes through foster care and adoption
Visit Children’s Bureau online at www.all4kids.org
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