Founded 40 years ago, Neighborhood Healthcare is a private, non-profit community health organization that provided medical, dental and behavioral healthcare and wellness promotion to 65,000 people a year. At its 11 healthcare centers, located thought San Diego and Riverside counties, philanthropic contributions are necessary to meet financial goals.
The annual Pace Setter awards gala honors those who generously give their direct financial support and volunteer time, demonstrating outstanding civic and charitable responsibility. The gala also raises much needed funds for the organization.
The project entails organizing volunteers and working with the committee to create the theme and all the materials including the invitations and program. The event – attended by more than 225 people, is a sit-down dinner with a live auction and silent auction tables.
Through years of coordinating this large event, a fine-tuned system has evolved including ticket purchases, auction item soliciting and donation gathering, guest registration and check-in, arranging for catering, decorating and entertainment, coordinating the silent and live auction and facilitating check-out to collect the funds. There is a team of several dozen volunteers for the event, as well as several paid contractors that have made this event so successful, exceeding our target fundraising goals every year.
Additionally, the event would not be complete without media attention. An important component details media realtions, including calendar listing, press releases about the event and the honorees, media scheduling and post event publicity.
