Kim Stemper
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Orange County Business Journal
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Articles by Kim Stemper
1000 Founders’ Celebration Brunch (Hoag); Miracles for Kids; Radiant Future
The Future Looks Radiant Radiant Futures raised $153,000 at its Back to the Radiant Futures Ball, an ‘80s prom-themed gala held April 25 at The Pacific Club in Newport Beach. The event, complete with an Enchantment Under the Sea theme, transported guests to the fictitious Hill Valley High, featuring period-inspired attire, dinner, live and silent auctions and nostalgic music. Proceeds will support a major new initiative: the construction of three accessory dwelling units.
Philanthropy Roundup May 11: Ronald McDonald House, Cristo Rey and The Drake Gives
Take A Walk Ronald McDonald House Orange County (RMHOC) celebrated its 17th Annual Walk for Kids on April 25 at Championship Soccer Stadium in Irvine, raising a record-breaking $430,000 to support families with hospitalized children. More than 1,300 walkers and 1,300 community donors participated in the milestone event. Featured walkers included the Hill family, who inspired the founding of the global organization, Ronald McDonald House.
Orange County Business Journal
Seeing Red Antis Roofing & Waterproofing hit a philanthropic milestone on April 6, celebrating its 200th American Red Cross blood drive at its Orange County facility. The company first opened its doors to blood drives in 2020, after Charles Antis, founder and CEO, Antis Roofing & Waterproofing, learned that thousands of blood drives had been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Philanthropy: Laguna Art Museum Receives $3 Million Gift from Quilter Family
Framing a New Era A $3 million gift from the Quilter family, longtime Laguna Beach philanthropists, is setting the stage for a new chapter at Laguna Art Museum, marking the largest donation in the institution’s history and establishing its first fully endowed curatorial role.
Orange County Business Journal
Go Big Orange! Orangewood Foundation, in partnership with the Anaheim Ducks, hosted its fifth annual Go Orange for Orangewood (GOFO) Night on Feb. 27 at the Honda Center, marking 20 years of collaboration to support vulnerable youth across Orange County. The special game night brought together community leaders, supporters and hockey fans to raise awareness and critical funding for young people facing barriers to housing, education, employment and basic needs.
Orange County Business Journal
More than the Big Game The 15th annual Crisp Family Super Bowl Veterans Extravaganza brought together 300 active-duty Marines from Camp Pendleton’s Dana Point 5th Marine Regiment and 200 military veterans for a day of appreciation, mentorship and celebration at American Legion Post 291 in Newport Beach during Super Bowl weekend.
Orange County Business Journal
Join Us at the Bar! The annual Food From the Bar campaign, held each June within Orange County’s legal community, invites law firms, attorneys and legal associates across Orange County to raise awareness and funds for Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County.
Philanthropy Spotlight: SchoolsFirst Marks 2025 Giving
Leaps and Bounds More than $450,000 was raised at the 2025 College Bound Luncheon, benefitting Girls Inc. of Orange County, with proceeds supporting the organization’s College Bound initiative, a program designed to help girls prepare for higher education and future careers. The event, held at the Marriott Irvine Spectrum in November, drew approximately 350 attendees from across the Orange County business, education and philanthropic communities.
Be Well Set to Open $118M Campus
At first glance, Be Well Orange County’s new outpost resembles a modern college campus more than a healthcare facility. Located on 22 acres of county-owned land adjacent to the Great Park, the new campus—expected to open in the spring—spreads across multiple low-rise buildings set among broad walkways, open green spaces, shaded paths and recreational areas, including pickleball and basketball courts.
Orange County Business Journal
School Rules! The Irvine Public Schools Foundation (IPSF) hosted its 15th annual Spirit of Excellence Gala at VEA Newport Beach, bringing together more than 300 business leaders, alumni and supporters to celebrate the achievements of the Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) and to raise critical funds.
Orange County Business Journal
Best Friends Friends of CASA, the membership auxiliary of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Orange County, hosted its annual Holiday Luncheon on Dec. 5 at the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point. The event raised more than $670,000 to support CASA’s mission of providing a voice and meaningful connection for children who have experienced abuse, neglect or abandonment.
Orangewood Aims to Triple Beds for Homeless Kids
Orangewood Foundation, one of Orange County’s largest nonprofits serving vulnerable youth, is embarking on an aggressive expansion plan that sharply increases its housing footprint and calls for deeper business partnerships. The Santa Ana-based nonprofit, which supports foster youth and young adults facing homelessness, plans to more than triple its capacity from 72 beds to 250 by 2030, a 250% jump designed to meet rising needs.
Hope Builders Connects Employers to Job-Ready Talent
When Aylen Alquisiras walked into Hope Builders, the young mother of two was ready to embrace a new beginning with the help of the Santa Ana–based nonprofit, which trains young adults for careers in construction, healthcare and other in-demand fields through its workforce development programs. Today, the first-generation immigrant is a medical assistant at Hoag Hospital, a mentor to other medical assistants and on her way to nursing school.
Al Baldwin: The Life of a Successful Fundraiser
Al Baldwin remembers how his father, who was a mailman, volunteered with Big Brothers of America while his mother helped their Catholic church. When he was 6 years old, his parents encouraged him to share a Christmas toy with a neighbor child who had none. “This impressed on my mind the importance of sharing with those less fortunate,” he said.
Orange County Business Journal
Feeding Fashion The Harvesters held its 33rd annual Fashion Show & Luncheon on Oct. 8, raising a net $2 million for Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County. The funds raised will support equitable, dignified access to nutritious food for Orange County families. Approximately 350 guests attended the event, which was held at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. This year’s theme was Fashion and Flourishing Futures in Orange County.
Orange County Business Journal
Sounds Like a Donor On Sept. 21, Laguna College of Art + Design (LCAD) broke ground on the first phase of a campus consolidation: a two-story, 22,000-square-foot Innovation Center at its Big Bend facility in Laguna Beach. During the ceremony, Patrick Quilter, founder, QSC Audio and Quilter Labs, was revealed as the previously anonymous donor of the $40 million gift that launched the $100 million Designing Futures Campaign. The donation is the largest in LCAD’s six-decade history.
Orange County Business Journal
Singing for Sanctuary Hot Summer Nights, the annual summer soiree and concert, returned Aug. 2 to Giracci Vineyards and Farms in Silverado Canyon. Hosted and underwritten by Stacy Jones, co-founder and primary organizer of the event, along with her husband Steve Jones, global chairman and chief executive, Allied Universal, the evening welcomed more than 600 guests for a night of world-class entertainment and philanthropy.
Doug Freeman: The Man Behind National Philanthropy Day
On a crisp night in the San Bernardino Mountains, a teenage Doug Freeman spent some quiet time alone after a long day wrangling 10 energetic boys as a YMCA camp counselor. Above him, the sky stretched wide, every star bright against the darkness. In that moment, Freeman felt a rush of gratitude for his parents, his three brothers and the life he’d been given. Right then, he made himself a promise: “I’ve got to do something important with my life.” That promise would become his compass.
Orange County Business Journal
Tremendous Tournament The 28th Annual Stars & Stripes Tournament, held June 26–29 at the Hilton Los Cabos in Mexico, set a new record, raising $6 million in four days. The funds will provide support for children’s charities, including Miracles for Kids, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County / IE, Orangewood Foundation, SBCS (formerly South Bay Community Services), Casa Youth Shelter, Young Lives Redeemed and Honorary Partners: Merge Opportunities, Mission Plasticos and Halo.
Orange County Business Journal
Full Circle Robert Braithwaite, president and CEO, Hoag More than 300 guests gathered at the Balboa Bay Resort on May 29 for the 38th Annual Circle 1000 Founders Celebration Brunch. The event, hosted by returning co-chairs and philanthropists Mary Buckingham and her daughter Lacy Robertson, raised more than $1.3 million in support of the Hoag Family Cancer Institute.
Orange County Business Journal
Fest for the Future The Orangewood Foundation hosted its most successful community event to date, the 2025 OrangewoodFest and Orangewood Challenge on May 3. The family-friendly event was held at Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina, bringing together hundreds of supporters who helped raise over $645,000 to fund programs that help Orange County youth achieve self-sufficiency through education, housing, employment and wellness.
Orange County Business Journal
Caring in Capri On May 3, MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center Foundation hosted its annual Spring Gala at the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach in Dana Point, drawing guests into the coastal charm of Capri with its La Dolce Vita theme. The event raised a record-breaking $862,000 to support Saddleback Medical Center’s mission to improve community health and expand cancer care services.
Philanthropy in Orange County: Girl’s Inc., Make-A-Wish Orange County, Childhelp Orange County Chapter
Girl World Girls Inc. of Orange County held its annual gala, Celebrating the Girls Inc. Experience, on April 26 at Fête the Venue in Costa Mesa. The celebration brought together community leaders, partners and supporters to raise more than $400,000 in support of Girls Inc.’s research-based programs in STEM, financial literacy, college and career readiness, healthy relationships, body image and advocacy. Guests were invited to step into the world of a Girls Inc.
Orange County Business Journal
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.
Orange County Business Journal
Like Riding a Bike On Feb. 8, the Golden State Foods Foundation (GSF Foundation) partnered with the Taco Bell Foundation to host a Bike Building event benefiting the children on the waitlist for Big Brother Big Sisters of Orange County & the Inland Empire (BBBS OC/IE). Held at the organization’s facility, the event paired each child with a volunteer from one of the sponsoring organizations to help them assemble their very own bike. In total, 22 bikes were built.
Think Together Converting HQ to 270 Units
Think Together, Orange County’s largest non-profit organization, is taking a bold step to ensure its long-term financial stability by redeveloping its Santa Ana headquarters into a $150 million workforce housing project. The move aims to generate a steady revenue stream that will sustain its mission of providing educational support to underserved students.
Orange County Business Journal
Giving from the Heart On Jan. 28, more than 150 attendees from 80 nonprofit organizations attended the Orange County Community Foundation’s (OCCF) annual iheartOC Giving Days Summit presented by F&M Bank at The Cove at University of California, Irvine. This year’s theme, “Empower and Engage: Mobilizing Your Team for Impact,” focused on collaboration and effective teamwork to enhance fundraising efforts.
Boys & Girls Clubs Merge, Saves $750K
One of Orange County’s largest Boys & Girls Clubs of America just got bigger. Last month, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Orange Coast (BGC of Central OC) and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Anaheim-Cypress merged, expanding services for more than 12,000 children and teens in seven cities. The merger, effective Jan.
Balboa Island Museum Has Turned into a Cultural Hub in Orange County
For several years, the Balboa Island Museum was tucked away in a quaint cottage on a side street near the bridge welcoming visitors to the island. Though modest in size, it was a treasure trove of photographs, artworks, memorabilia, personal letters and town records, captivating history enthusiasts with its charm and depth. Thanks to Shirley Pepys, the fledgling museum eventually found a home on Marine Avenue, Balboa Island’s lively main street of shops and eateries.
PHILANTHROPY: UC Irvine Athletics, Families Forward, Sage Hill
Team Player University of California, Irvine Athletics has received a gift of $5 million to further bolster its baseball program. The donation, the largest in the history for UC Irvine Athletics, comes from Steve and Linda Borowski to found and name a new player development center.
PHILANTHROPY: Bowers Museum, Bank of America OC, Angels Baseball Foundation
Artistic Garden The Bowers Museum hosted a sold-out black-tie gala on Nov. 16 to celebrate the opening of The Eternal Garden: Titanium Art exhibit by Aka Chen, which remains on display through April 13. The event welcomed more than 200 luminaries from the arts, philanthropy and business communities, raising $500,000 for the museum’s educational program.
Orange County Business Journal
Giving Hope City of Hope received a $20 million gift from Orange County philanthropists Norman Payson, M.D., president, NCP Inc. and his wife Melinda Payson to create a pancreas center that will advance groundbreaking research and treatments for pancreatic cancer and diabetes. The gift builds on the Paysons’ legacy of generosity.
Orange County Business Journal
Big Game, Big Hearts Gary and Julie Crisp, owners of Costa Mesa’s Crisp Imaging, held their 12th Super Bowl party for 500 members of the military and other guests at American Legion Post 291 in Newport Beach. In addition to 350 active-duty Marines bused from Camp Pendleton, the event hosted 150 veterans of past wars. “It’s a joy to put on this day of fun and football for these men and women who serve our country,” Gary Crisp said.
Orange County Business Journal
State-of-the-Art Vision The Newport Beach Public Library Foundation presented the Five Hundred Summer Stories Benefit on Jan. 28 with more than 180 in attendance. The evening featured filmmaker Greg MacGillivray, founder, MacGillivray Freeman Films, at the Newport Beach Central Library. MacGillivray spoke about his life as a filmmaker from surf films to Hollywood masterpieces to his 45 groundbreaking IMAX films that raised awareness about the natural world.
Vegan Food Wholesaler to Use Cold Storage Network
Newport Beach’s GTFO It’s Vegan, which calls itself the largest online vegan and plant-based retailer and wholesaler in the country with over 1,000 national and international vendors, has linked up with Huntington Beach freight-focused technology firm LaneAxis Inc.
Orange County Business Journal
Record Giving The William, Jeff and Jennifer Gross Family Foundation donated nearly $23 million to 58 local and global nonprofits in 2022, the most donated in a single year by a Bill Gross foundation. Several organizations throughout the world were granted more than $1 million, including local organizations Children’s Health of Orange County (CHOC) Pediatric Mental Health Services, which received $2 million, and Orange County Teachers of the Year, which received $1 million.
Orange County Business Journal
Deck the Runway Friends of CASA, a membership auxiliary of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Orange County, hosted its annual Holiday Luncheon & Fashion Show on Dec. 8 at Vea Newport Beach, a Marriott Resort & Spa. Presented by South Coast Plaza and Lafayette 148, this year’s event had a record-breaking net for the ninth year in a row, raising more than $620,000.
Alzheimer’s OC Marks 40 Years
Over the past four decades, Alzheimer’s Orange County (AlzOC) has established itself as a resource for those in the community whose lives have been impacted by Alzheimer’s disease.
Orange County Business Journal
40 Years of Changing Lives On Oct. 15, the Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach was transformed into a 1940s-style USO camp in commemoration of the 40 years of service Alzheimer’s Orange County has offered. Cheers to 40 Years earned more than $700,000 to fund critically needed, life-changing programs and services for the 84,000 local Orange County residents affected by Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
Orange County Business Journal
Raising Money in Style Harvesters 30th Anniversary Celebration Fashion Show & Luncheon raised more than $1.6 million to support the work of Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County. All of the underwriter donations from the event go directly to the food bank, officials said. The event took place on Oct. 11 at the Renée & Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. It began with a champagne reception hosted by Baccarat.
Orange County Business Journal
Granting Real Workplace Insight On Oct. 19, Disneyland Resort announced $1.5 million in grants to local nonprofits and school districts.
Orange County Business Journal
Continuing the Commitment Irvine Co. and The Donald Bren Foundation provided the Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) with a $4 million contribution in honor of IUSD’s 50th anniversary. The gift represents a $2 million annual increase to the Irvine Co.’s 20-year, nearly $50 million commitment to support arts, music and science education in the district.
Orange County Business Journal
Art is the Heart of Orange County Nearly 400 guests came together to attend the Orange County Museum of Art’s (OCMA) second annual Art Sense Opening Gala on Oct.1. The black-tie, sold-out celebration netted more than $2.1 million, which will support the museum and its operations in its inaugural season. The sum raised is double the achievement of any previous OCMA fundraising event.
Orange County Business Journal
Truly Transformative City of Hope received a $25 million gift from Julia and George Argyros, philanthropists and longtime supporters of the Duarte-based cancer-focused hospital, which recently unveiled its new center in Irvine. The gift, announced during the Hope Gala on Sept. 10, advances City of Hope’s mission to deliver world-renowned research, treatment and cancer cures to Orange County.
Orange County Business Journal
Time to Celebrate Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Orange County held its annual CASA Celebration on Aug. 27, at Vea Newport Beach. Event sponsors included Karen Jordan, community philanthropist, Diamond Sponsor; Lucy Donahue, chief strategy officer, By Light Professional IT Services, Emerald Sponsor; Lugano Diamonds, exclusive jewelry sponsor; and 1500 Sound Academy, entertainment sponsor.
Stars & Stripes Catches Success
25 Years In, OC-Backed Event In Cabo San Lucas Raises $45M The Stars & Stripes Tournament has caught a large reputation: one of the biggest and best fishing-focused philanthropic events in the world. This year marked the 25th for the event, which was held June 22 to June 26 at the Hilton Los Cabos in Cabo San Lucas. More than 850 people came together for a long weekend of deep-sea fishing, high-end golf, top-tier musical performances, luxurious accommodations and more.
Orange County Business Journal
Food, Fun and Fundraising The Second Annual Festival of OC Chefs, benefiting KidWorks, was held July 17 at Newport Beach Country Club. The food festival, which featured 34 chefs and drew 400 guests, raised $820,000. Nexus Development President Cory Alder, Kidworks’ incoming board chair and event co-chair, lauded the nonprofit’s academic support, character and leadership development programs that empowers students in Orange County’s underserved neighborhoods from pre-K through their college years.
Orange County Business Journal
Dynamic Women Making a Difference 44 Women for Orangewood hosted its 18th Annual Scholarship Luncheon on June 1 at the Balboa Bay Resort. The luncheon welcomed more than 350 guests and featured elements such as opportunity drawings and prizes, including a Twila True jewelry piece, a champagne cocktail hour, a live fund-a-need for Orangewood’s youth, and two special guest speakers. The event netted $340,000, all of which will benefit Orangewood Foundation’s foster youth and programs.
Orange County Business Journal
The Perfect Fit The CHOC Glass Slipper Guild’s 28th annual “A Magical Evening Under the Big Top” took place on May 21 at The Waterfront Beach Resort in Huntington Beach. More than 300 guests attended the celebratory affair, which honored The Fetal Care Center of Southern California, a partnership between CHOC and University of California, Irvine, and its patients, doctors and supporters in the community.
Kim Stemper, Author at Orange County Business Journal
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