Skip the Gala; Gala no Gala 2024

Skip the Gala: A Match Grant Initiative to Empower Shine A Light Foundation's Future

As many of you know, gala season in Las Vegas is fast approaching, and with it, a flurry of events vying for attention and resources. This year, Shine A Light Foundation has made a strategic decision to shift our focus. Instead of hosting a traditional gala, we are staying committed to the work that has propelled us forward: helping those in need, ensuring that the vulnerable populations we serve can continue to receive the support they require during the critical winter months. Introducing our “Skip the Gala” Match Grant initiative.

Why skip the gala? With the unprecedented growth of our organization, our mission is more crucial than ever. We have been awarded significant contracts with the 8th Judicial Court and the City of North Las Vegas to provide Continuity Case Management services for clients who continue to face barriers in finding stable housing, overcoming challenges, and navigating long-term recovery. This growth has required our full attention and resources. It is why we've chosen to forgo the costly and time-consuming gala planning in favor of staying laser-focused on our work.

Last year, our annual gala raised nearly $150,000, enabling us to launch two highly successful programs: WINGS and FREEDOM. Both have been instrumental in helping hundreds of individuals transform their lives. However, the decision to skip the gala doesn’t mean we don’t need your support. Quite the opposite.

This year, we are asking you to join us in a special fundraising effort: the Skip the Gala Match Grant initiative. Over the next four months, we aim to raise $75,000. The incredible news is that our Board of Directors has committed to matching every dollar raised, ensuring that your contributions will have double the impact. Together, this will help us continue to provide essential services, such as IPATH and our Continuity Case Management programs, to even more people in need.

Please know this doesn’t mark the end of our gala—it’s simply moving to a time that aligns better with the natural flow of our work. Why not host a Spring Gala when we can gather to celebrate our successes at a less intense time of year? Until then, we hope you will join us in making our "Skip the Gala" campaign a success.

With your help, Shine A Light has already achieved so much. Let’s continue that momentum. Your support will help ensure that we can keep providing life-changing services, expand to meet the needs of more referrals, and maintain our promise to the community.

Thank you for being a vital part of Shine A Light's journey. Let’s skip the gala and shine even brighter together.