First Annual ChariTea Fundraiser Celebrates Women of Distinction, Honors National Foster Care Month, Raises $10K for Children in Need
The Children’s Foundation of America held its first ever ChariTea Fundraiser on May 21 with 80 guests in attendance. The sold-out tea party and fundraiser welcomed dignitaries from local to state government, corporate executives, leaders in education, and various members of the community to support our cause.
Since our CEO, Cher Ofstedahl, had recently been named a Woman of Distinction by Assemblymember Chris Holden, we took the opportunity to share the spotlight and celebrate female entrepreneurship within our great community. Matthew Lyons presented the honor of Claremont’s 2022 Woman of Distinction to Cher at the event on behalf of Assemblymember Holden.
Cher graciously accepted the award and spoke on the advantage of choosing our own “family” (or circle) as adults. From friends, to mentors and colleagues who encourage and lift us up to our best selves. Cher experienced her own childhood trauma, which gives her a unique insight into helping children and families create a better future through her work in foster care and adoption services. For over two decades, Cher has been making a difference in the lives of children in need.
As our ChariTea Presenting Sponsor and President of Claremont Lincoln University, Dr. Lynn Priddy congratulated Cher on her recognition and for her life’s work for children and families. Dr. Priddy acknowledged all in attendance as leaders by being present for the fundraiser, which ultimately raised nearly $10,500 for displaced children during National Foster Care Month.
In addition, Congresswoman Judy Chu, Los Angeles Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Senator Anthony Portantino, Claremont City Councilwoman Jennifer Stark, and various nonprofit leaders sent along their congratulations with an array of certificates and cards.
The Children’s Foundation of America presented donation checks cumulating in $2,000 for A Greater Hope Foundation, Purposely Chosen Inc., and McKinley Children’s Center. Accepting the checks on behalf of these organizations were women leaders from each organization: Helena Lopez, Dretona Maddox, and Tristin Harding. Our hope is to encourage them in their work and to help further their mission forward in some small way. We are pleased to announce that McKinley Children’s Center will be using the donation to help update their children’s playground.
While ChariTea attendees listened to the various speakers and a live musical performance by Katie Ferrara, guests enjoyed finger sandwiches and hors d’oeuvres from Cutting Edge Catering, whom we are so grateful to. Owners Jeremy and Nicole Michalski have fostered dozens and adopted five children. Because of their generosity, our fundraising dollars went much further than we could have expected.
Baked goods were set on each table by our event committee and included pastries from I Like Pie Bakeshop, Euro Café, Crumbl Cookies, Honeybird, and Victoria Derksen. Tea and coffee was graciously provided by Summit Tea and Pour Vida. Thank you to Nicole Haboud for running the impressive tea and coffee cart. Our thanks also goes to Delia Haro Florals for our beautiful centerpieces.
To conclude our event in the Women’s Club of Claremont garden, we held a silent auction featuring artwork, gift baskets, jewelry, vintage items, and more. A wonderful time was had by all and guests even got to have their picture taken by local photographer, Jacqueline Legazcue (see photo gallery below). In gratitude, each guest left with a gift bag filled with beauty products including a box set from Physicians Formula. Thank you to all who participated in our event. We look forward to another fantastic tea party for a great cause next year!
Jenelle Phillips, Director of Development
Jenelle oversees the day-to-day operations and staffing of the Foundation, which includes event planning, volunteer coordination, community outreach, marketing and donor relations. Above all, Jenelle’s focus is to identify and access resources in order to help children heal, learn and thrive. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from California State University Fullerton and is very involved in the community. She is active in her church and owns an art gallery. Her volunteer contributions to the community have been recognized by Senator Portantino, Assemblymember Holden and the Claremont Village Marketing Group.
Photography by Jacqueline Legazcue. Click a photo for full screen view.
ON SALE NOW: 2024 Wonderland ChariTea Event
Celebrate Mom at our 3rd annual ChariTea fundraiser presented by Claremont Lincoln University! Proceeds support children in need.
Join the Children’s Foundation of America for the 3rd annual ChariTea Fundraiser presented by Claremont Lincoln University.
Over 400,000 children are in foster care each year due circumstances beyond their control. These children have faced trauma, abuse, and neglect, and continue to endure challenges participating with their peers in everyday activities and accessing educational resources. Make a difference in their lives by attending this special fundraising event. Proceeds benefit scholarships, mental health programs, transitional housing, quality foster care services, and grants for children in need.
Come with us through the rabbit hole to discover a Wonderland of delicious treats and activities including croquet and oversized chess. Guests will gather in the golden afternoon at Granite Creek Gardens in Claremont for a tea luncheon including a variety of finger sandwiches, an assortment of hors d’oeuvres, pastries, and a selection of teas. There will be photo opportunities, silent auction, and a complementary swag bag provided. Dress up in your most wonderous fineries–the Mad Hatter wouldn’t have it any other way!
Ticket Information
Reserve tickets or a full table on Eventbrite (processing fees apply) or purchase via cash or check (no fees) payable to Children’s Foundation of America at our office: 201 N. Indian Hill Blvd. Ste. 200, Claremont (door code is 1966). For help with tickets, call our office at 909-426-0773. THIS EVENT SELLS OUT. Purchase your tickets soon!
Ticket sales are nonrefundable, but are transferable. If you need to transfer your tickets to another reservation name, please contact us no later than 4 p.m. the day prior to the event.
PRO TIP: purchase a full table with friends or colleagues and choose a table theme color at a discounted rate! Proceed to ticket options for availability.*
* General admission seats will be placed at random either at the large Mad Hatter Table or another themed table. Selecting a table theme is only available to full table purchases and is the only way to ensure your guests will sit together.
Sponsorships are available. Contact Jenelle at 909-426-0773 ext. 244 or email jphillips@trinityys.org to inquire.
Buy Tickets!
Dog Haus Fundraiser
Enjoy a meal while also making a difference. Bring this flyer to Dog Haus in Claremont on Thursday, January 16, 2020 and 20% of your purchase will benefit the Children’s Foundation of America. The foundation provides an opportunity for every person to help children heal, learn and thrive. Be the difference!
IMPORTANT: You must show this flyer at the time of purchase for the Children’s Foundation of America to receive a donation.
RSVP
Fall Stock Your Cellar
Supporters of Children’s Foundation of America are invited to a special wine tasting event by Plume Ridge Bottle Shop. The event will take place at our office on Wednesday, November 13 from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
Be ready for holiday gatherings! Take advantage of the opportunity to sample fanatic wines and stock your cellar. Plume Ridge wines make great gifts for friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues!
Bring a new, unwrapped gift for displaced children in foster care, residential therapeutic programs, shelters, underserved communities, or identified by their school as in-need. Youth are ages 0-18. Consider a gift card for fast food or clothing stores for teens.
This event is ideal for wine and food lovers alike so please bring your friends. Space is limited, please RSVP.
RSVP
“Taco ‘Bout a Party!” Real Estate Professionals Host Fundraiser for Children in Need
Each year, the West End Real Estate Professionals (WEREP) host “Taco ‘Bout a Party,” a fundraiser supporting a worthy cause. For the past few years, WEREP has supported the Children’s Foundation of America with this very special event for a cause.
Jorge Merlos presents a donation from WEREP
The West End Real Estate Professionals is a group of local Realtors and Affiliates that meet every Friday morning for real estate education, industry updates, tech tips, sharing listings, creating relationships and more. The group is a registered non-profit, which allows them to come together as real estate professionals to support local charities.
Jorge Merlos, of Integrity Home Finance, and his committee work to make community charity events a success for local causes. He coordinated with Chris and Patricia at Rock & Brews in Rancho Cucamonga to host this year’s “Taco ‘Bout a Party” fundraiser in correlation with the Cinco de Mayo holiday. The fundraiser was also part of our National Foster Care Month awareness campaign.
Sponsors of the fundraiser included Optiva IT LLC , Coldwell Banker Blackstone Realty, Hacienda Escrow Corp, Citrus Valley Association of Realtors, Tano Kapedani, Integrity Home Finance, Platinum Legacy Group, Emilio Nunez, Thomas Louisignau, MBM Credit Solutions, Willy Escobar, Scott Michael Junk, Gabriel Kutkowski, Jeanette Sanchez & Mike Merlos, REMAX Champions, Downtown West Covina , Luis Vasquez, 1st Continental Mortgage Rancho, Ara Bustos, Vanessa Mosqueda, Erik Chaplen, and Anna Millsan. The Laker Girls also made a special guest appearance!
Guests had a fantastic time, enjoying good food, music, dancing and raffles. Combining ticket sales, a portion of proceeds from the restaurant and raffle ticket sales, the fundraiser raised a whopping $4,515 in support of children in need!
Rock and Brews donates a portion of sales to CFA
Of the total amount, Rock & Brews donated $915 from a portion of food and drink sales from the evening, and WEREP presented a check for $3,600. In the history of their charitable giving, this donation is the largest WEREP has presented and their most successful charity event to date!
The Children’s Foundation of America is beyond grateful for WEREP’s ongoing support. We look forward to giving a presentation to their group later this year to provide an update on the work we do for children in need and will also attend their famous holiday party!
If you are a service group like WEREP, and would like the Children’s Foundation of America to give a presentation at an upcoming gathering, contact us at 909.426.0773.
Jenelle Phillips, Development Specialist
Jenelle oversees the day-to-day operations and staffing of the Foundation, which includes fundraising events, volunteer coordination, community outreach and donations. Above all, Jenelle’s focus is to identify and access resources in order to help children heal, learn and thrive. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from California State University Fullerton and has become very involved in the community. She is active in her church, owns an art gallery, organizes the local art walk and is on the executive board of the downtown district’s marketing group.
Hallway of Healing: Upland Junior High Students Raise $1,255 For Foster Youth
Upland Junior High students raised $1,255 for the Children’s Foundation of America through their “Hallway of Healing” fundraiser. The fundraiser is part of an annual English course curriculum. Students are given writing assignments and a research project to determine a cause they could all believe in and support. This year, they chose “the human condition,” specifically focusing on foster care.
Each year, the seventh grade class at Upland Junior High vote on one nonprofit organization to support through this annual fundraiser. The class selected the Children’s Foundation of America after learning the Foundation supports multiple agencies that directly help children in foster care. By choosing the Children’s Foundation of America, the students knew they were making a wider reach of impact.
The students worked together with their teachers to organize the “Hallway of Healing” project culminating in a presentation to the community. Guests were welcomed to the school to walk the hallways filled with student illustrations and poems as well as facts about foster care and the Foundation. A couple of students sang and played instruments, some wrote and recited poems, and others gave presentations on foster care and the Foundation. A couple of children even shared their own personal foster and adoption stories.
Additionally, students sold bake sale items, 3D printer art and handmade bookmarks to sell for donations. In all, the students raised over $500 in cash donations. The students also participated in our Back-to-School Drive collecting brand new school supplies, backpacks and snacks for foster youth totaling $755 in value.
The Foundation team was so impressed by all the hard work and passion the students put into their fundraiser benefiting those in foster care. We couldn’t help but be proud of the young philanthropists and all they had accomplished. We were simply honored to be the recipient of their kind efforts. Thank you, Upland Junior High, for your generosity, raising awareness and for encouraging community giving!
Jenelle Phillips, Development Specialist
Jenelle oversees the day-to-day operations and staffing of the Foundation, which includes fundraising events, volunteer coordination, community outreach and donations. Above all, Jenelle’s focus is to identify and access resources in order to help children heal, learn and thrive. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from California State University Fullerton and has become very involved in the community. She is active in her church, owns an art gallery, organizes the local art walk and is on the executive board of the downtown district’s marketing group.
Local Businesses Raise Funds for National Foster Care Month
National Foster Care Month is celebrated each year in May to raise awareness and support for children in foster care. There are over 400,000 children in foster care at any given time in the United States and roughly 700 children enter foster care each day.
Children are removed from their families and placed into foster care for various reasons. Their parents may be incarcerated, battling substance abuse, have difficulty providing necessities or may even be abusive. Whatever the reason, these children need support and everyone can do something to help!
The Children’s Foundation of America’s mission is to provide an opportunity for every person to help children heal, learn and thrive. We accomplish this through our volunteer program and fundraisers.
In May, several local businesses partnered with the Children’s Foundation of America and raised $5,900 for children in foster care. These funds will be used for things like sports uniforms, summer camp, yearbooks, graduation cap and gown, scholarships and other resources to help youth participate in the same everyday activities as their non-fostered peers.
Thank you to participating businesses:
West End Real Estate Professionals
Rock & Brews
Tintura Salon
Rio de Ojas
The Giving
Escape Salon
Old Magnolia Shoppe
Bert & Rocky’s Ice Cream
Amelie
Aromatique Skin & Body Care
I Like Pie Bakeshop
Curtis Real Estate
Jenelle Phillips, Development Specialist
Jenelle oversees the day-to-day operations and staffing of the Foundation, which includes fundraising events, volunteer coordination, community outreach and donations. Above all, Jenelle’s focus is to identify and access resources in order to help children heal, learn and thrive. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from California State University Fullerton and has become very involved in the community. She is active in her church, owns an art gallery, organizes the local art walk and is on the executive board of the downtown district’s marketing group.
CFA Raises Funds at Pie Festival
On March 23 local pie lovers united for Claremont’s annual Pie Festival – a gathering dedicated to great food, supporting local businesses, and good causes. Among the many festivities were celebrity bakers, pie-making demonstrations, live music, vendors, food trucks, a pie eating contest and a classic car show. Residents filled the streets to partake in the festivities. The festival ended with a large pie tasting buffet for everyone to join.
Nestled between rows of food and local artwork, The Children’s Foundation of America had their own booth dedicated to raising funds to support foster youth. For just a $1 donation we invited attendees to test their skills with a bean-bag toss to win stickers and prizes! We also sold tickets to our upcoming comedy show, Funny 4 a Reason, and supplied information on how to become a volunteer.
With the help of our volunteers, the Foundation was able to raise over $200 to aid us in our mission to help children heal, learn and thrive! Our Lion’s Heart Service volunteers helped to pass out flyers, raise money and spread awareness. On volunteering with the Foundation, group chaperone Sylvia Tam says, “CFA is great because it’s helping kids that are at a turning point in their lives, where they can go forward or not. Anyone can donate, whether that be with money or time.”
The Children’s Foundation of America is supported by great volunteers and donors who aid us in our mission. Get involved today! For more information on upcoming events and opportunities to donate, click here!
Jose Rojas, CFA Intern
Jose is an English literature major at California State University San Bernardino. As a CFA intern, Jose attends and photographs events and writes for our blog. He has previously volunteered with The Prison Library Project. In his free time, you can catch him playing tennis or cramming for his next exam.
