Newly formed nonprofit Rise for a Reason is hosting its inaugural fundraising gala at the Hyatt Regency Valencia on March 1 at 5:30 p.m., with all proceeds going toward Blood Cancer United.
According to Rise for a Reason’s website, the mission is “to promote health, well-being, and self-sufficiency in underprivileged communities.”
Derived from a local team with the same name associated with Student Visionaries of the Year, a developmental leadership high school program under Blood Cancer United, the students are now taking extra measures to raise funds.
Parents of the students, including Hala Sanoufi and Zeina Hennawi, shared the process of rallying the community for the greater good.
“We came up with the name, ‘Rise for a Reason,’ because we were just helping them run their campaign, and their goal was $50,000, so we decided that we would start this organization on the side,” Hennawi said. “We’ve been looking for sponsors. Our goal is to secure platinum, gold and silver, then sell individual seats.”
Individual tickets are $100 each, with platinum sponsorship at $7,500 for three tables, gold at $5,000 for two tables and silver at $2,500 for one table.
The event will consist of a dinner, followed by speeches from local physicians and cancer survivors.
“This is going to be this year’s project, but the plan is for this organization to plan for charitable projects later on. So [the gala] is going to be all organized and run by the kids,” Sanoufi said. “That’s what’s significant about this – as parents, we are helping, but it’s the group of high schoolers who are working to get this going.”
To sign up or support, visit: www.riseforareason.org/event-details/rise-for-a-reason-gala-1.
