Actress and founder of Blondie Girl Productions, Ashley Tisdale and Dick Costolo, former Twitter CEO will be honored at this year’s 11th annual Gala of Champions, hosted by CoachArt, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization that provides arts and recreational opportunities to youth with chronic and life-threatening illnesses.
Taking place at the Beverly Hilton on October 15, Tisdale will receive this year’s “Courage and Hope” award while Costolo will receive the “Heart and Humanity” award.
The annual Gala, held each October, honors individuals who show exceptional professional success and personal humanitarianism. Together, business leaders, entertainment executives, community members, volunteers and CoachArt families gather in support of CoachArt’s mission to create a transformative arts and athletics community for families impacted by childhood chronic illness. Past Gala of Champions honorees include Chandra Wilson, actress from TV-series Grey’s Anatomy, Jeremy Zimmer, co-founder and CEO of UTA and TV anchors Robin Roberts and her sister Sally-Ann Roberts.
“It’s always an honor to be able to recognize the dedication, commitment and incredible impact our Champions have made to the CoachArt community,” said Dr. Kara Allen Soldati, Executive Director of CoachArt. “It is incredibly powerful to see so many friends, families, colleagues and stakeholders come together to celebrate our mission. I am truly grateful for the tremendous support.”
Since its beginning in 2001, CoachArt uses the proven power of arts and athletics to spark student’s imagination and build confidence by providing long-term, no-cost arts and athletic opportunities for chronically ill children and their siblings. In 2014 alone, CoachArt’s highly-skilled volunteers provided 20,000 free lesson hours to more than 2,000 children. Currently, CoachArt works with more than 1,500 volunteer coaches and community partners to serve nearly 2,000 students annually.
“It’s important for me to use my voice and platform to help others and to create awareness around causes and organizations I feel passionate about,” said Tisdale. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with CoachArt and witnessing how these amazing kids and families personally benefit from the lessons in the arts and athletics that CoachArt provides. I am so honored to stand with them at this gala.”
In 2014, the Gala saw more than 650 attendees that helped raise nearly $1 million. Last year’s Champions included Walt Disney Company Executive Vice President Kevin Mayer and Los Angeles Clippers basketball player Matt Barnes.
Multiple sponsorship opportunities are still available for the 2015 Gala. For additional information regarding sponsorship opportunities or tickets for the Gala of Champions, click here or contact CoachArt’s Development Director, Greg Harrell-Edge, at gala@coachart.org.
