Like the rest of the event industry, planners for nonprofits, charities, and organizations had to rethink their most important tentpole events of 2020 due to the in-person gathering restrictions put in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some events were postponed, while others were outright canceled, with hopes that 2021 will be a better year. And then there were many who transformed their traditional black-tie galas into virtual events hosted over Zoom.
Instead of relying on sit-down meals and fancy ball gowns, planners and organizers were forced to get creative with their fundraisers, which right now are even more important because those in need are facing much tougher times.
From an immersive 3D environment for an animal charity to a pasta demonstration dedicated to Dr. Anthony Fauci, here are some of the clever ways that these galas, benefits, and fundraisers from the fall season rethought their programming and raised money for worthy causes.
Gilda’s Club New York City Annual Gala
Gilda’s Club New York City celebrated its 25th anniversary with a virtual benefit gala in November. At the annual event, Gilda’s Club NYC recognizes outstanding individuals who have contributed to improving the quality of life of cancer patients. Hosted by news anchor Bill Ritter, the evening honored Giovanni Caforio, M.D., chairman and CEO of Bristol Myers Squibb, and Gilda’s Club NYC ambassador Emma Stone. The virtual event also included a performance by Ben Platt and Nicole Van Giesen. Event design was led by NeunerDesign and event direction and production by ECast Productions, Triple Birch Media, and 3 Faces Films.
Photo: Getty Images/Getty Images for Gilda's Club NYC
Equality California’s Golden State Equality Awards
Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, hosted its “Golden State Equality Awards” virtual celebration in September. Led by Pose star Angelica Ross, the evening was filled with tributes and moments highlighting the work carried out by the organization as it fights for LGBTQ+ civil rights and social justice. Speaker Nancy Pelosi honored the late U.S. Representative John Lewis, which was followed by a performance from Rufus Wainwright (pictured). The event raised over $1.75 million. JJLA created a custom microsite to host the 90-minute program, as well as five videos honoring honorees from San Francisco to San Diego.
Photo: Courtesy of Equality California
'Fast Times at Ridgemont High' Virtual Table Reading
To benefit CORE’s COVID-19 relief efforts to protect vulnerable communities across the country, JWP called Ridgemont High back in session for a virtual table reading of the 1982 classic Fast Times at Ridgemont High in September. The virtual event brought in 20 million total online viewers and featured CORE co-founder Sean Penn as well as Dane Cook, Morgan Freeman, Jimmy Kimmel, Shia LaBeouf, John Legend, Ray Liotta, Julia Roberts, and the buzzed-about reunion of Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt. The reading raised over $250,000 and was co-produced with Deviants Media. Pledgeling served as the donations platform, and the event was streamed on Facebook and TikTok.
Photo: Courtesy of JWP
City Harvest’s BID 2020: The Show Must Go On
In October, City Harvest premiered BID 2020: The Show Must Go On, the organization’s first at-home dining experience, which included cuisine from COTE Korean Steakhouse, along with virtual content. Hosted by Geoffrey Zakarian, the show featured City Harvest supporters, including Antoni Porowski, Katie Couric, Alan Cumming, Zeeko Zaki, Brooks Nader, Billy Crudup, Ryan and Emilia Serhant, and Andrew Zimmern, and prerecorded entertainment by On The Move. The event raised enough to help feed 1.6 million New York City families.
Photo: Courtesy of City Harvest
Hudson River Park UnGala
In October, Hudson River Park supporters, including David Chang, Andy Cohen, Lea DeLaria, Jenna Bush Hager, Julianne Moore, and Martha Stewart, joined Hudson River Park Trust CEO Madelyn Wils (pictured) for the annual UnGala. The virtual, at-home celebration, which was produced by JWP, raised over $1 million for the Hudson River Park Trust. The event’s video services were provided by Optical Animal.
Photo: Courtesy of JWP
Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation’s Virtual Disco Party
In September, Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation gave donors the chance to relive the Studio 54 days with a virtual disco party. Guests raised over $1 million to fund critical cancer research. The evening featured performances by disco legends including Gloria Gaynor, Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Marti Gould Cummings, and Nile Rodgers and Kathy Sledge. Olivia Newton-John, Clive Davis, Pat Cleveland, Star Jones, and Ethan Zohn also made appearances. Guests also viewed images by famed Studio 54 photographer Dustin Pittman throughout the evening. Guests received party boxes, curated by Mary Giuliani, with a martini kit and truffles, along with luxe goodies.
Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Gabrielle's Angel Foundation for Cancer Research
The American Cancer Society’s Taste of Hope
The American Cancer Society (ACS) hosted its 15th annual Taste of Hope virtual celebration in November. The event celebrated New York City’s iconic restaurant industry and raised critical funds for cancer research and local patient service programs offered by ACS. The event featured a performance by Sting, and appearances by Giancarlo Esposito, Mario Cantone, NFL Hall of Famer Harry Carson, Amy Ryan, Peter Onorati, Harry Lennix, Alysia Reiner, and Bobby Cannavale. The preshow featured cocktail demos from mixologists at Golden Grove Global and Pepsi, and opened with a performance by The New York Voices Plus Three. There was an after-party hosted by DJ SPINDIESEL.
Photo: ©LMG
The Humane Society of the United States “To the Rescue” Virtual Gala
Hosted by Cecily Strong, the virtual gala, which benefits The Humane Society of the United States’ animal rescue efforts, featured a performance by Audra McDonald and raised over $2 million to benefit the organization’s efforts. Kitty Block, CEO of The Humane Society of the United States, greeted the virtual attendees from inside an innovative 3D environment, produced by Eventique.
Photo: Courtesy of The Humane Society of the United States
The Humane Society of the United States “To the Rescue” Virtual Gala
Guests were able to visit a setting filled with flowering meadows, glamping-style yurts, and a backyard stage, as well as a dining space with tables labeled with guests’ names. The gala’s online auction included an opportunity to pitch a business idea to mayor Michael Bloomberg and a trip to the Canadian winter ice floes where mother seals give birth to their pups.
Photo: Courtesy of The Humane Society of the United States
Carousel of Hope Ball
In partnership with People, this biennial event, which raises funds for clinical care and diabetes research for the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes and Children’s Diabetes Foundation, streamed exclusively on people.com/carousel, PeopleTV, the publication’s social platforms (Facebook and Twitter), and its YouTube channel in October. This year’s event celebrated two significant occasions—Davis’s 90th birthday and the 40th anniversary of the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes. Jay Leno served as master of ceremonies, David Foster as music director, George Schlatter as honorary producer, and Clive Davis and Quincy Jones as music chairmen. The event was produced and directed by Erich Bergen and Marc Johnston. The evening included a performance from Pia Toscano and Andrea Bocelli.
Photo: Getty Images/Getty Images for Children's Diabetes Foundation
Drive-In To Erase MS Live Gala
In September, the Race to Erase MS Gala was reimagined as a drive-in event with socially distanced music. The event raised over $1.4 million to benefit Race to Erase MS and its Center Without Walls program, a collaboration of multiple sclerosis research centers with the goal of treating and finding a cure for MS. The event honored founder Nancy Davis’s son Jason, who passed away earlier this year, with a special posthumous “Medal of Hope.” The event opened with a virtual look at the Fall 2020 Tommy Hilfiger Adaptive Collection, a line of clothing with innovative design twists that make dressing easier for people with disabilities. Andy Grammer (pictured) performed some of his hits for the crowd.
Photo: Rich Fury/Getty Images for Race to Erase MS
The Great Sports Legends Virtual Dinner
Instead of being inside a New York City hotel ballroom, The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis, the fundraising arm of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, hosted its 35th Great Sports Legends Dinner virtually in October and raised over $2 million. Bob Costas served as master of ceremonies, introducing sports legends like Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz, Jack Nicklaus, Tara Lipinski, Mariano Rivera, and Ed Reed. Bon Jovi, Gloria Estefan, and the cast of Hamilton performed during the evening. The funds raised directly support The Miami Project, a leading center for spinal cord injury research.
Photo: Courtesy of The Buoniconti Fund
The NIAF’s 45th Anniversary Gala
In October, the National Italian American Foundation celebrated its 45th anniversary and honored Dr. Anthony Fauci with the Leonardo da Vinci Award for Leadership in Health and Science. “While COVID is keeping most of us at home these days, people like Dr. Anthony Fauci go to work each morning with one goal—to see our nation through the most devastating pandemic in a century,” Leonardo DiCaprio said about the infectious disease expert during the gala event.
Photo: Courtesy of NIAF
The NIAF’s 45th Anniversary Gala
The event included a preshow cooking segment with Mary Ann Esposito, who demonstrated how to make the aptly titled dish: Fauci Fettuccine. More than 4,000 guests joined the virtual event, which was broadcast via Zoom.
Photo: Courtesy of NIAF
The Prevent Cancer Virtual Gala
The Prevent Cancer Foundation’s annual gala usually draws a crowd of more than 1,000 guests to the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. every spring. But due to the pandemic, the spring event was canceled and was reimagined as a virtual gala, which took place in September. It featured performances by bandleader and drummer for the E-Street Band Max Weinberg, actor and comedian Luis Guzmán, singer/songwriter Lauren Daigle, and more. Guests were also able to participate in a silent auction throughout the evening, making bids from their cell phones or computers. The virtual gala raised more than $1.5 million for the Prevent Cancer Foundation.
Photo: Courtesy of The Prevent Cancer Foundation
Parsons Presents: A Toast To Our Students
Parsons Presents: A Toast to Our Students was a virtual celebration held in October featuring special guests and Parsons alumni and musical performances from the College of Performing Arts. It also included a showcase from designers in the MFA Fashion Design and Society program. All proceeds from the event supported scholarships for students facing undue hardship. Guest speakers included Donna Karen, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Virgil Abloh. The event was produced by JWP, with video production by Really Useful Media.
Courtesy of JWP
The American Cancer Society's Hope Ball @ Home
This virtual event streamed live on YouTube in late August. Over 1,000 guests gathered for the hourlong benefit, which raised funds for the society’s mission to lead the fight against cancer. Hosted by WSB-TV’s Linda Stouffer and Fred Blankenship in Atlanta, the evening included a tribute to 2020 Hope Ball honoree Arthur Blank featuring Bernie Marcus, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Ed Bastian, and more, plus a performance by the NFL Players Choir. The event raised over $500,000.
Photo: Courtesy of The American Cancer Society
Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen’s Farm to Tray Event
Streamed via YouTube in September, the annual event, which was presented by Whole Foods Market, celebrated the soup kitchen's community as well as encouraged donations that are needed to meet the increased demand as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The event’s virtual programming included a mixology demo, culinary tips from pastry chef Caroline Schiff and chef Robert Austin Cho, as well as a cooking demo featuring chef Russell Jackson of Reverence. Throughout the program, virtual guests learned how the soup kitchen is dealing with adversity amidst the pandemic. Attendees also received a virtual gift bag featuring recipes from the event demos, as well as a student-written cookbook from Avenues: The World School.
Photo: Courtesy of Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen
UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital's 'Party on the Pier' Home Edition
The virtual version of UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital’s “Party on the Pier,” which took place in October, featured virtual games and online activities for families, with proceeds from the event benefiting children being treated at the hospital, as well as a variety of children’s health initiatives and research. Fun, comic-inspired graphics added a playful element to the virtual broadcast.
Photo: Courtesy of UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital
Pump to the Polls Virtual Ball
Hosted by Pose actor and ballroom legend Jack Mizrahi, the online fundraiser Pump to the Polls celebrated the historic nomination of Senator Kamala Harris, urging voters to “rock the polls.” The event, which took place in November, benefited Destination Tomorrow, an organization that provides services to LGBTQ+ community members. The event featured competitors from the United Houses of Ballroom including Mizrahi, guest judge Marc Jacobs, and ballroom icons Keith Balenciaga, Londyn Miyaki Mugler, Tony Revlon, Sean Ebony, and Sinia Ailia. The event was produced by JWP and Coy Studios.
Photo: Courtesy of JWP
