The Crowd: Center of Hope to benefit from Salvation Army’s annual gala

They called it “Night For Others,” and appropriately so.

The Salvation Army Orange County held its annual gala Dec. 13 at the Balboa Bay Resort, attracting a sold-out crowd coming to pledge support for others far less fortunate than themselves. An impressive seven figure sum was raised, with the final tally to come. Organizers hope to meet or exceed the record of $2.4 million raised the prior year. Funds are earmarked to support the Salvation Army’s Center of Hope.

Auction bidders help raise an impressive seven-figure sum at recent Salvation Army fundraiser at Balboa Bay Resort.

(C2R Productions)

Located in Anaheim, the Center of Hope is a facility addressing the homeless crisis in the O.C.

“It is central to the Army’s mission in the county,” said donor and Salvation Army supporter Jill Meer.

The $110-million public/private partnership built and operates the wide outreach of services provided to the local unhoused community. It encompasses a 325-bed emergency shelter, 72 permanent supportive housing apartments and full-time, full-service staff providing medical, dental and even pet care, along with an additional 175-bed rehabilitation building within the Anaheim campus.

Lydia Saradan, Carole Berg, Karen Ley and Lauren Steyer attend the Salvation Army “Night for Others” at Balboa Bay Resort, Newport Beach.

(C2R Productions)

Funds raised at the recent gathering will propel the expansion of a new phase of development within the Center of Hope called the Center for Applied Research and Innovation (CARI) with the purpose of redefining the approach to solving the homeless crisis.

The adjacent new center will partner with the Samueli Solutions Hub and the Bill Gross Medical Center on the campus. Organizers are intent on delivering a national model of innovation that will hopefully bring significant changes to the recovery process now in play. Plans are to introduce CARI in the spring of this year, according to Salvation Army Orange County Executive Director Ken Perine.

Major Jennie Perine, Carol Springstead and Major Ken Perine support Salvation Army Orange County homeless objectives.

(C2R Productions)

“Night for Others” at Balboa Bay Resort, Newport Beach welcomed Kevin Muldoon, a former mayor of Newport Beach joining fellow VIP’s Austin Lumbard, who serves as the mayor of Tustin, and Alex Pringle and Curt Pringle, a former mayor of Anaheim and former speaker of the California State Assembly.

James Corden, British comic and former late-night host for CBS entertained the Salvation Army crowd.

(C2R Productions)

Also front and center for the Salvation Army were Gaddi Vasquez, Thomas Day, Carol Springstead and Lydia Sarandan. Enjoying the comedy entertainment of the evening provided by CBS-TV’s former late night host James Corden were Doug Rumford, Ronald McDivitt, Ron and Jill Meer, Leehann Miller, Rebecca Tedder, Amy Stoddy, Carole Berg, Karen Ley and David Tedder.

To learn more about the Center for Hope and the Salvation Army visit orangecounty.salvationarmy.org.