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Illumination Health + Home, formerly Illumination Foundation, hosted its 12th Annual Chef’s Table: Sip, Savor and Sounds gala on April 6 at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. The sold-out event, chaired by Karen Jordan, development committee chair, Illumination Health + Home board of directors, and presented by the Bickerstaff Family Foundation, welcomed more than 400 guests and raised $1.4 million to support families facing homelessness in Orange County.
Guests were welcomed with seaside -inspired décor and signature cocktails like the seabreeze and mai tai. A selection of gourmet hors d’oeuvres showcased the talents of six renowned Orange County chefs including Kevin Meyer, TGIS Catering; Rich Mead, Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens; Shachi Mehra, ADYA; Peter Petro, Ten Sushi; Magellan Moore, Mastro’s Ocean Club; and David Martin, The Pacific Club. Following the cocktail hour, guests enjoyed an elegant multi-course dinner crafted by Disney’s executive culinary team, led by Executive Chef Marcel St. Pierre, Executive Pastry Chef Nubia Renteria and Banquet Chef Mhike Hugo. The night concluded with a nostalgic performance by The Beach Boys. During the program portion of the evening, the Shah Family was honored for dedicating the Shah Happiness Home in 2024, while actor John Stamos and his wife Caitlin Stamos were recognized for their continued volunteerism and support. Major sponsors included Experian, Disneyland, U.S. Bank, Kaiser Permanente and The Crean Foundation. The evening officially unveiled the nonprofit’s rebrand and reaffirmed its commitment to housing, healthcare, emotional well-being and permanent housing solutions. Dr. Pooja Bhalla, CEO, Illumination Health + Home, emphasized the organization’s new guiding pillars—Community, Action, Respect and Empowerment—as Illumination Health + Home steps into a bold future of serving the unhoused with compassion and full-circle care.
Cristo Rey Orange County High School celebrated its second annual ¡VIVA! Gala on March 29 at the Paséa Hotel & Spa in Huntington Beach, raising more than $2.5 million to support its unique blend of college preparatory education and real-world work experience. More than 400 philanthropists, business leaders and community members gathered to champion “The School That Works.” Funds raised will help ensure Cristo Rey is an affordable option for students who might otherwise be unable to access a Catholic, college-prep high school uniquely integrated with real-world work experience. The evening honored WCM Investment Management, which covered all event costs, allowing every dollar raised to benefit students directly. Paul Black, co-CEO, WCM Investment Management, accepted the Rey of Hope award and surprised attendees with a dollar-for-dollar matching gift, doubling the evening’s impact. Cristo Rey’s innovative Corporate Work Study Program enables students to earn nearly half the cost of their education through job placements at 45 partner companies. New partners announced include CHOC, Ortiz Enterprises, P2S Inc. and SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union. “There are nearly 3,000 companies nationwide that employ Cristo Rey students,” said Stephen Holte, founding president, Cristo Rey Orange County High School, adding that 30,000 alumni have benefited from this program. Heartfelt speeches from students and families highlighted Cristo Rey’s impact, including testimonies from students working at Hoag Hospital, City of Hope and Northgate Markets, who credited the school for building their confidence, academic growth and sense of purpose. The festive evening included a live auction, paddle raise, mariachi performance and dancing to the band That Vibe.
The Alzheimer’s Association Orange County Chapter held its 3rd Annual InspirationALZ Gala on March 1 at the Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach. The sold-out event drew 375 guests and raised $470,000 to support local programs, free education and support groups, advocacy, and critical research funding in the fight against Alzheimer’s and other dementias. The evening honored two distinguished community leaders. Tafa Jefferson, CEO and founder, Amada Senior Care, received the Individual Impact Award for his national advocacy and support for caregivers. Huntington Beach-based BJ’s Restaurants Inc. was recognized with the Corporate Impact Award, having raised more than $1.3 million to date and contributed eight years of dedicated partnership through fundraising, educational initiatives and board involvement. Guests enjoyed dinner, a silent and live auction, and heartfelt musical performances by Jay Allen, singer, NBC’s The Voice, and Danielle Finn, American Idol finalist, who both shared personal stories of family members affected by Alzheimer’s. The gala’s chair was Brian Petrocelli, CEO, CMO Marketing Partners. Sponsors included the Argyros Family Foundation, Amada Senior Care, BJ’s Restaurants, City of Hope, Dignity Memorial, Hoag Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute, Montesantos Builders, Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Serra Memory Care.
On April 19, Team Depot, The Home Depot’s associate volunteer force, and 365 Connect worked together to update the garden centers at Greenville Fundamental School in Santa Ana, planting fresh seeds in gardens throughout the school and constructing a new outdoor garden center that will serve as the central hub when students take on an active role in maintaining the new garden centers… On April 26, more than 100 volunteers, representing organizations such as Topgolf, National Charity League, Assistance League, Pioneer Circuits, Pacific Life, BNY Wealth, Taylor Nelson Amitrano LLP and PWC, met for Think Together’s second annual Kit Build event, an alternative to a traditional Gala, where volunteers spent the day assembling curriculum kits to be distributed to school sites to aid with summer programming, creating 1,500 kits that will benefit nearly 28,000 students this summer and raising $200,000 for Think Together programs… Meals on Wheels Orange County has appointed four new members and one returning members to its board of directors, including Ana Flor, chief people officer, Attom Data Solutions LLC, who brings expertise in workforce planning; Aaron Malo, partner, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP, who brings 30 years of legal acumen; Stuart Moss, former chairman, board, Meals on Wheels Orange County and partner and managing director, Keystone Capital Markets, who brings decades of strategic leadership; and Sagar Patel, chief revenue officer, Care Partners At Home, who brings expertise and passion for helping organizations and startups secure funding for healthcare technology programs. CORRECTION: In the April 14 issue, we noted that Reggie Finnegan is a board member of Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, but it is her husband, Patrick Finnegan, who holds that role. The Business Journal regrets the error.