30th Annual Wild & Crazy Taco Night
COSTA MESA, CA, – More than 280 people cruised over to the OC Fair & Event Center on Saturday, April 24th to take part in the first drive-through style event in the 28 year history of Share Our Selves (SOS) Wild & Crazy Taco Night.
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Soiree on the Shore
Soiree on the Shore will return in October 2023
We would like to thank our generous event partners for their contributions over the last several years. We encourage you to support our local community by visiting one of them this fall.
For more information on our special events, please contact sosfoundation@shareourselves.org
28th Annual Wild & Crazy Taco Night
COSTA MESA, CA, – More than 280 people cruised over to the OC Fair & Event Center on Saturday, April 24th to take part in the first drive-through style event in the 28 year history of Share Our Selves (SOS) Wild & Crazy Taco Night.
Read More2020 Adopt A Family Program
Costa Mesa, CA — We anticipated the pandemic significantly impacting our seasonal programs. Our planning required us to consider many options in delivering our 2020 Adopt A Family Program. However, an option that we knew we didn’t have was cancelling the program altogether.
Read More2020 Family Service Night
Costa Mesa, CA — Our annual Family Service Night went virtual this year, as over 300 parents and kids participated in our first At Home! event. Families, small groups of classmates, and Scout troops spent the evening together at home assembling over 2,000 hygiene kits, diaper kits, shaving kits and snack bags for our neighbors in need.
They later joined a Zoom discussion on homelessness in our community with SOS CEO Christy Ward, and a lively Q&A with staff where families learned more about Share Our Selves and the services we provide to the community, and additional ways to get involved. We were so impressed with the thoughtful questions the children asked, and their creative ideas to help assist our homeless population.
Although we are looking forward to the time when we can welcome families back onsite to volunteer with us, our virtual event gave participants the flexibility to complete the projects at their convenience, and we received a unanimous request to hold another event later this year. Thank you to everyone who participated and donated items.
Stay tuned for details and date for our Summer Service Night!
50th Anniversary Celebration & Auction
In lieu of this year’s in-person Celebrity Chef Dinner we spent the month of October celebrating our 50th Anniversary online! Supporters participated in an online auction and “raise the paddle” fundraiser to raise critical funds for individuals and families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
2019 Adopt A Family Program
Costa Mesa, CA — Did you know that the SOS Adopt A Family program has been taking place every December since just before Share Our Selves began? Continuing with this amazing local tradition of care during an added time of need, Adopt a Family was able to celebrate a successful 50th anniversary with the help of thousands from the community.
Read More2019 Family Service Night
Costa Mesa, CA — Share Our Selves welcomed families from the Orange County community to two events, Saturday of Service and Family Service Night, to kick off the holiday season by serving their homeless neighbors. Participants worked on projects that helped our homeless neighbors and taught children about the challenges they face. Geared towards families with children elementary school to high school age, these events provided the opportunity to introduce the next generation of OC philanthropists to issues of hunger and homelessness in our community. Throughout the night, our families helped SOS prepare for the holiday season by:
- Sorting 2,000 pounds of canned and assorted goods
- Packing 625 bags full of hygiene items
- Packing 400 diaper kits with diapers, wipes, and hand sanitizer
- Creating and decorating 150 gift card holders for our Adopt A Family program
- Packing 150 lunches for our homeless clients
- Preparing over 100 bags of Thanksgiving produce
Thank you to the 260 community members those who helped make this night a true success!
2019 Celebrity Chef Dinner
Huntington Beach, CA — The 29th Annual Share Our Selves (SOS) Celebrity Chef Dinner brought over 250 generous community members together for an exciting evening of fun, delicious food and drinks, and philanthropy. The event, held at the beautiful Paséa Hotel & Spa on Friday, October 11, 2019, highlighted 12 phenomenal local chefs committed to helping those in need in Orange County. The event netted approximately $129,000 in support of the SOS Food Pantry and Comprehensive Service Center, which provides food and needed services such as rental and utilities assistance, transportation, and seasonal programs for low-income individuals and families.
The event began with an outdoor reception highlighting the beautiful beachfront location. Guests were able to mingle with chefs and beverage sponsors, enjoy live music, and learn about SOS from staff and informational signage as the sun set behind the Huntington Beach pier just across the street. The reception featured hors d’oeuvres stations, and wine and beer tastings. A wine pull gave guests the chance to buy a mystery bottle of wine for $30 that was valued anywhere from $20 to $175. The silent auction afforded attendees another chance to bid on fun items donated by local individuals and businesses.
Guests then moved to the ballroom for the first course, entrée and dessert during the live auction and program. New CEO Christy Ward addressed the crowd, speaking to her excitement in joining the SOS team. Social Services Director Michael McGlinn then gave a heartfelt talk about SOS’s homeless clients and the many measures the organization is taking to address their health and get them into housing. One-of-a-kind dinners prepared by our chefs made for an enticing live auction lineup, and emcee Zack Krone kept the frenzied bidders raising their paddles. The evening ended with a lively Fund A Need, in which bidders raised their paddles one last time to make a contribution to SOS. The Fund A Need raised over $59,000 in just over five minutes.
A huge thank you to our generous chefs, sponsors, event sponsors, Celebrity Chef Dinner Committee & volunteers for making this event a huge success!
PARTICIPATING CHEFS & MENU
Reception
James Angotti
Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa
Lobster Mac ‘n’ Cheese, Caprese Salad Bites
Marco Arreguin
Puesto
Hamachi Tostada: Dashi Avocado Purée, Guajillo salsa, Hearts on Fire
Michael Beck
Hotel Irvine
Sonoma Lamb Neck Crepinette, Tomato Tapenade, Petite Frisee Salad, Lemon Vinaigrette
Octavio Flores
SOL Cocina
Short Rib Taco & Hot and Raw Ceviche
Linda Johnsen
Filomena’s Italian Kitchen & Market
Crispy Pork Belly Crostini with a Pineapple Mango Jalapeño Reduction & Pickled Red Onions
David Man
Fashion Island Hotel Newport Beach
Fried Jidori Chicken with Parmesan Foam, Truffles, Lemon Powder, Maldon Salt
Eric Mickle
Orange Hill Restaurant
Seared Vintage Beef Striploin, Smoked Potato Puree, Bordelaise Sauce
Sergio Ortega
Descanso
Sweet Corn “Pozole Verde” with Roasted Sweet Corn, Pulled Pork, Poblano Tomatillo Broth, Fresh Herbs and Fennel
Alessandro Pirozzi
Pirozzi Corona del Mar, Alessá Laguna, Salerno
Mini Mamma Margherita Veal Meatball in a Slow Briased 12 hour Ragu, Micro Basil, Melted Homemade Burrata Fondue, Crostini Crumble with 24 Month Aged Reggiano, drizzed with EVOO
Prabeen Prathapan
Paséa Hotel & Spa
“Lumpia” Smoked Jidori Chicken, Rock Shrimp, House Made Sweet Chili Sauce
Rainer Schwarz
Driftwood Kitchen, Hendrix
Kune Kune Suckling Pig Panini Sandwich, Broccoli Rapini, Caramelized Onions, Raclette Cheese & Roasted Tomato & Piquillo Pepper Soup, Sharp Watercress Cream
First Course
Roasted Delicata Squash “Sope”
Featuring ingredients generously donated by Melissa’s Produce
Entrée
Prabeen Prathapan
Paséa Hotel & Spa
Linda Johnsen
Filomena’s Italian Kitchen & Market
72-hour Braised Short Rib and Crab Imperial Stuffed Jumbo Shrimp, Creamy Polenta, Butternut Squash Crisp and Lemon Butter
Dessert
Rachel Klemek
Blackmarket Bakery
Andy de la Cruz
Fashion Island Hotel Newport Beach
Apple Butter Sour Cream Cheesecake with an Oat Streusel Crust, Garnished with Caramelized Apples in a Cider Reduction
SPONSORS
Wellness Warrior
Anne and Bob Cress
Ventas
Hoag
Mary Moyer
Melissa’s Produce
Hunger Fighter
BNY Mellon Wealth Management
Frome Family Foundation
PCV/Murcor
Pantry Partner
Christopher L. Blank
Anonymous
Table Sponsor
Jay Donoghue
Marc & Lura Harper
Dr. Richard & Mrs. Sandra Haskell
Will & Annick Klatte
David & Georgina Takemoto
Taco Bell
Eric & Betty Christiansen
One Digital
Gallagher
Underwriters
Charlotte Levingston
Michael & Kathy Lewis
Clay Seger
James & Pam Hardenbergh
Judith Rosser
Event Donors
Deborah Schneider, Sol Cocina
Rich Mead, Farmhouse
Jim & Diane Bailey
Theresa Madden; Sandy Fainbarg
Keith Bauer
Christina & Bob Gannon
Betty Storch
Alexis Furze
Lou D’Ambrosio
Beverage Sponsors
Committee
Gaye Besler, Kara Demostene, Maggie Hayes, Elizabeth Hopkins, Helen Kinsey, Marie Macaulay, Mary Moyer, Julie Neja, Karen McGlinn, Katie Santore, Debbie Springer, Cindy Tuch