Holiday events benefit nonprofits
The Kinship Center is kicking off a holiday auction taking place through Friday entirely on Instagram.
The Kinship Center is kicking off “Change Happens Together,” a holiday auction taking place through Friday entirely on Instagram. Proceeds raised from the online auction @Change_ Happens_Together will go to the organization’s support of Central Coast foster care and adoption services. Participants can bid on items or donate an item to have their business featured.
This is the second online auction the nonprofit has launched on the social media platform. The first one took place in August with great success, according to Doreen Luke, development director. Local businesses featured include Monterey County Touring Vehicles, Morgan Winery, and Pacific Grove Golf Links.
“We have amazing brand partners who have joined us by donating an item — in the previous weeks we have been spotlighting this wonderful group of Central Coast artists and makers,” said Luke, noting that Kinship Center will start posting items Monday. “Our plan
is to continue growing our Instagram followers and brand partners and we are planning for a late spring auction too.”
Since 1984, the nonprofit headquartered in Salinas has helped build and strengthen families for needy children of all ages who can no longer remain safely with their birth parents because of abuse and neglect. The Kinship Center also helps kids who have been abandoned and voluntarily relinquished for adoption as infants by their birth parents. It strives to create and support permanent families for these children through adoption, relative caregiving or other guardianship as decades of research has shown that children need stable, permanent families to thrive.
“Our work may look a bit different during this pandemic, but the need for our services has continued. We still have children entering the foster care system who need our unconditional care and love,” said Luke.
Other upcoming events
The Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce is holding its virtual quarterly CEO breakfast dubbed
“The Reinvention in a PostPandemic World” on Friday. The event from 7:30 to 9 a.m. will feature Santa Cruz based “serial entrepreneur” and Silicon Valley investor G. Craig Vachon giving a presentation on how to pivot your business in a virtual world.
Vachon has earned $1.1 billion in new investments involving several projects in different countries. He’s also served as a COO and CEO of several different firms, most recently as COO at touch feedback technology Immersion Corporation. He’s also the author of the best-selling comedic spy thriller “The Knucklehead of Silicon Valley.”
The cost is $20 for members and $25 for nonmembers. Proceeds will go to the Chamber. Register online at www.montereychamber.com or call (831) 648-5350 for more information.
David Lyng Real Estate Fire Relief Auction & Fundraiser
Presented by David Lyng Real Estate and Santa
Cruz Waves is the Fire Relief Auction and Fundraiser taking place through Friday at https://www.davidlyng.com/firereliefauction
Items available to bid on have been collected from local businesses, artisans and makers in both the Monterey Bay area and
Santa Cruz. They include a double kayak rental from Monterey Bay Kayaks, a round of golf with carts at Pasatiempo Golf Course and a family portrait session from Julie Cahill Photography.
Funds will go to local charities and organizations such as the Monterey County Regional Firefighters Association, Sempervirens Fund, Finding Sophia and the Felton Fire Protection District. All these organizations provide assistance and support to community members whose lives have been affected by the wildfires.
The Carmel Foundation Virtual Auction
The Carmel Foundation’s Fundraiser & Virtual Auction runs through Wednesday at https:// carmelfoundation. ggo.bid/ bidding/package/13239666
Participants can bid on items ranging from an exclusive lunch at the Panetta Institute with former Secretary of Defense and White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta, a two-night/three- day stay at a Carmel-by-the- Sea penthouse and a Holman Ranch wine experience.
Event sponsors include Aspire Health Plan, Big Sur Canna+Botanicals, the Blind and Visually Impaired Center of Mon
terey County, Canterbury Woods, Carmel’s Bistro Giovanni, Fenton & Keller law firm, Gerald W. Bachecki, CPA, and Holman Ranch among others.
Proceeds go to the Carmel Foundation, which provides services to its 3,400 members including affordable meals via its Curbside To Go program, meal delivery to the homebound, assistance to lowincome housing residents and individual online tech support to more than 100 seniors.
The non-profit is currently closed due to COVID-19.
Hope, Horses & Kids Shopping and Wreath Making Event
The nonprofit that provides equine-assisted learning opportunities to individuals with physical, cognitive and emotional challenges is holding a socially distanced holiday shopping and wreath-making event on Saturday.
Local artisan vendors will be on hand at the “Hope, Horses & Happy Holidays” event at 22400 Indian Springs Road in Salinas from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. selling baked goods, vintage finds, essential oils and much more. Participants can make their own holiday wreath for $35. Reserve your socially distanced spot by emailing Lori@hopehorseskids.org.