Summer of Dreams Jubilee: A Victory to Celebrate!
Summer has ended and so has our annual gala! We wrapped up our largest annual fundraiser, the Summer of Dreams Jubilee, this past weekend benefiting the City of Dreams youth. Funds collected reached $16,910, graciously toppling our original goal of $10,000! We could not be more pleased and grateful for the support we received these last couple of weeks. Compared to last year, we offered 3x the opportunities to win fun prizes and while simultaneously supporting the kids. Our community raised about $10,000 more overall!
The event kicked off with an early afternoon cocktail hour to welcome arriving guests, copiously served by the Bayview Opera House staff. Upon the arrival of the attendees, we heard from our host, JaMarr Johnson, a keynote speaker, Marine Corps and Navy veteran who commuted from Southern California to support this event. JaMarr introduced Jarae, our Executive Director, Kareem, our Program Director, and Travis, an active City of Dreams community member and parent. Behind the podium, decorated by Bayview’s own Balloon Sistas, our guests heard about our programming efforts, Bayview realities, and the repercussions of the healing experiences we provide. Attendees took a moment of silence for those in our community who have fallen victim to gun violence; all three speakers spoke on the brutality currently tormenting our neighborhood. With these individuals in our hearts, Jarae, Kareem, and Travis introduced the gala as a moment in time to celebrate the importance of fulfilled childhoods in areas of extreme poverty and violence. They spoke on the noticeable academic and personal shifts in our kids including Aaron and Jahziah getting into college and Sarah’s upcoming cooking internship!
Smoke Soul Kitchen catered our guests to a southern-style lunch with buffet-sized portions. Guests indulged in our Wine Pull, a fundraising game with donated wine from Bi Rite and Palm City Wines, and purchased raffle tickets with the opportunity to win up to 6 prizes! During lunch, we heard from Alessandra and Sarah, two of our kids who have benefitted from our programs over the years.
Sarah (16), spoke about her experience growing up with us and the impact reflected on her outside life: “I'm glad that i'm one of the kids who happen to live around here and to be able to have access to things like this. I go to school and I tell my friends about these things because I don't want any of my peers or my friends being lost about where their future is going to go or what they're going to do. I always like to refer them to resources and help from what I have learned through City of Dreams.”
When asked what her favorite City of Dreams activity “of all time” was, Alessandra (9) replied, “That's a trick question. But I feel like it was when we went to the water park.”
Ben, Victor’s mentor, and going on 3 year relationship with us at City of Dreams, told the crowd about his initial anxieties in his early mentorship days: “I’m not going to lie to you all, when I first became Victor’s mentor I was anxious, nervous, and worried. I was nervous he wouldn't like me, I was anxious I wouldn't be able to give him any real advice…” Ben goes on to explain that just the opposite happened. Victor has become far more social and motivated in school since they first met. He has jumped grade levels, and created standards for himself with Ben’s support. Ben gave the crowd a glimpse into what a mentor-mentee relationship can accomplish for both involved.
Elaine Chea, a City of Dreams friend from Mobilize Love, spoke about her experience interacting with us for the last 3 years. With a thorough background aiding and teaching youth, we selected Elaine to give the crowd a partner perspective. She shared her observations of our work, including seeing Kareem and Travis going door to door dropping off resources and wellness necessities and acknowledging our work as, “not what you do for the kids, but how you make them feel.”
We have many people to thank. To our donors, sponsors, attendees, mentors, kids, and community, thank you for seeing the light in our kids and acting with generosity. The event ran smoothly thanks to our volunteers and mentors who came early and stayed late to ensure all working parts came together. Set in the beautiful Bayview Opera House back lawn, attendees left as prize-winners and active participants in the wellness of our kids.
Where will this $16,910 go?
The funds raised will power us through the end of the year and into the next by supporting programming, Super Saturdays (meals, transportation, and activity fees); resources to support mentors (gas, food, fees); after-school programming (meals, staffing, supplies); and Ground Zero programming (meals, staffing, fees, supplies). This annual celebration of our impact is important to us because it strengthens our relationship with our community, elevates our presence to new audiences, and invigorates our capacity to do more.
Thank you to our sponsors, who helped us make this event possible and played a huge role in its success:
Thank you to our in-kind donors, who donated their products and services to support the mission of our gala:
Kris Nations
Top Golf
Golden State Warriors
First Aid Beauty
Black Girl Sunscreen
Blue Apron
Looking for ways to get involved or show support from a distance? Here is what you can do:
Follow us and share us with your friends and networks. Word of mouth and social media do wonders for organizations like ours. Any amount of support in this way can be transformative to our growth.
Purchase a City of Dreams sweater! Show off your community love by walking around in our swag.
Consider becoming a monthly donor. Dreamville is our monthly donor hub where you get the inside scoop of what our kids are up to, early access to event tickets and exclusive youth updates, and City of Dreams gifts!
Photo Credits: Edison Fontanilla