Fulfillment Fund spring gala honors UCLA, raises nearly $900k to support forward-thinking leaders of tomorrow

Photo credit: John Sciulli/Getty Images for Fulfillment Fund

Inside the Sony Pictures Studios lot, between the roasted vegetable and braised short courses, 16-year-old Rosa Lopez, a Los Angeles native and junior at Alexander Hamilton Senior High School, told us about the confidence, ambitions, and newfound connections she’s gained as a beneficiary in one of the Fulfillment Fund’s empowerment programs helping underserved students across Los Angeles build pathways to higher education and success.

Seated beside her, her mother, Cristina Nolasco, gushed over the growth and changes she’s noticed in her daughter, and expressed gratitude for the organization’s support in helping her navigate the complex process of college and financial aid applications.

The event

“Eat · Drink · Be Inspired” is the theme for the organization’s annual spring fundraising event, which initially started in 1995 as the STARS Gala, where guests would gather to support the Fulfillment Fund’s life-changing programs for under-resourced youth in Los Angeles. It has been reimagined as a spring event and this year it drew hundreds of guests to the food-focused festivities that raised nearly $900,000 to advance the Fulfillment Fund’s vision of making college a reality for students growing up in educationally and economically under-resourced communities.

The evening was a light hearted and uplifting celebration with presenters and special guests making light of current events and the massive college admissions scandal facing the elite, but also sharing their own experiences as students and the challenges and uncertainty they once faced of not knowing how they’d be able to finance their college education—further emphasizing the importance of the Fulfillment Fund’s mission in 2019.

“When I did get into Dartmouth I was able to pay for my degree through a combination of student-work programs, loans, scholarships, grants and a straight-up, old-school bartending job. But fortunately nowadays the resources available to lower income kids like I was are fewer and farther between. College is about building the forward-thinking, risk-taking leaders tomorrow. We owe it to our young people—our future—to make sure that the greatest minds have the best opportunities.”

— Aisha Tyler, event MC, actor / director, and Dartmouth College alumna

The evening also welcomed Allysunn Walker-Williams to the stage in her inaugural event as the Fulfillment Fund’s new CEO.

“My high school counselor told me that Harvard was a longshot—that I should call it my ‘moon’ landing and that we should aim lower. I slid that crisp acceptance letter across his desk when it came and said I was going to the moon. Around the same time, on the other side of the country, our beloved Dr. Gitnick was also dreaming—and his vision eventually led to the creation of an organization that would go on to empower 20,000 under-resourced youth as they aimed for the stars. no matter how much money they had or what their background was.”

— Allyson Walker-Williams, Fulfillment Fund CEO and Harvard alumna

Champions of change

This year, UCLA was honored with the Educational Visionary Award for their commitment to diversity and providing tangible opportunities for students and their success. NBA legends Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton shared the stage, each drawing from their experiences as UCLA students and NCAA champions before presenting the award to Chancellor Gene Block, who accepted on behalf of UCLA.

“UCLA, where I started almost 50 years ago, has had an incredibly lasting and important impact on my own life—and it could never be understated. Actually I met my wife, Lori, at UCLA and that is one of the greatest moments of my life.”

— Bill Walton, NCAA UCLA champion

The top-tier university named by New York Times for advancing education and opportunities particularly among students from disempowered upbringings, has been a part of the Fulfillment Fund’s history from the very beginning, when organization founder Dr. Gary Gitnick transformed his annual UCLA staff holiday party into a mentoring opportunity for children with disabilities.

“You can take students that come from challenging backgrounds and with the right kind of support and partnership like the Fulfillment Fund, schools like UCLA can lead them to dazzling careers.”

— Gene Block, UCLA Chancellor

Setting the mood

Entering a green outdoor park setting on the iconic Sony Pictures Studios lot, guests were able to enjoy pre-dinner bites and libations from various local vendors. The lively social hour was a backyard-style, sunset spread that included: El Salvadorian bites from Cafe Panamericana; chicken liver mousse tarts from Tuck Room Tavern; vegan scones from Sconely; tuna tartare cones; and a wide-range of exotic pours from various vinters.

Celebrity chef and famed restaurateur Wolfgang Puck handled the dinner menu of roasted vegetables, braised short ribs and alfredo-style penne pasta.

Legendary comedian Sinbad shined as the evening’s auctioneer and led the giving portion of the event, which received matching contributions from Stanley Thomchin, and Randall and Jana Warring Greer.

After the program, guests made their way to a decadent coffee and dessert bar for El Salvadorian alfajores, guava and cheese rolls, Sprinkles cupcakes, cookies, cake, and mini custard and panna cotta cups.

Fulfillment Fund: By the numbers

Supports more than 2,500 local students through our college access and success programs
100% of their senior students graduated from high school
Of these, 95% enrolled in college compared to 67% of students from low-income communities nationally
77% of the Fulfillment Fund’s college scholars earned a bachelor’s degree in six years or less
Nationally, only 11% of students from low-income families earn bachelor’s degrees

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