Healthcare Foundation Northern Sonoma County holds annual fundraiser NOCHE DE AMOR, A Benefit for Health Justice, on June 8 at Bacchus Landing

Healdsburg, CA, May 16, 2024– The Healthcare Foundation Northern Sonoma County will host its annual fundraiser, this year titled NOCHE DE AMOR – A BENEFIT FOR HEALTH JUSTICE, in support of the Foundation’s granting and programming designed to eliminate health inequities in northern Sonoma County.

NOCHE DE AMOR – A BENEFIT FOR HEALTH JUSTICE will take place on Saturday, June 8, from 6:00 to 10:00 pm, in the stunning open-air piazza of Healdsburg’s Bacchus Landing and will feature live music by The Curtis Family C-Notes, and by Mónica María, in addition to fabulous food, wine and cocktails/mocktails from local purveyors. 

The festive evening brings together supporters, grantees, and other local residents and stakeholders in a celebration of northern Sonoma County’s diverse and vibrant communities and the power of collective action to advance health equity across the region.

The program will highlight the Healthcare Foundation’s health equity initiatives—including its innovative Mental Health Talent Pipeline scholarship program, which turned five this year. Since its launch in 2018, the Pipeline has supported with full-tuition scholarships a total of 21 aspiring bilingual/bicultural mental health professionals who have, in turn, already served an estimated 2,500 unique clients. 

The program addresses a recognized shortage of bilingual therapists capable of serving the region’s Spanish-speaking residents. Moreover, it increases access to bilingual/bicultural mental health services at a particularly critical time, as demonstrated by recent reporting in local media highlighting the steep rise in suicide and suicidal ideation among Latine residents of Sonoma County. 

The June 8 event, which is hoping to raise at least $350,000 to continue this and other Health equity–focused programming, will feature remarks by a Mental Health Talent Pipeline scholarship recipient Stephanie Sosa Manrique and immigration attorney and poet Bernice Espinoza. The evening will also include a Fund-a-Need, this year offering a “personal moment of giving” instead of a “paddle-raise” which supports the scholarship program as well as the Healthcare Foundation’s other health justice initiatives.

In addition to the Pipeline’s milestone anniversary, this year’s celebration will honor the Healthcare Foundation’s current executive director, Kim Bender, who is retiring from her role in June, and welcome new executive director Amy Ramirez.

Since Kim came onboard as ED in March 2020, the Healthcare Foundation has raised over $6 million and distributed over 150 grants and scholarships to local organizations, including emergency funding to frontline nonprofits and promotora groups during the pandemic; helped instigate the formation of Community Response Teams across Sonoma County in preparation for the next public health crisis; initiated community-led convenings to envision local community wellness centers; and helped to pilot a new bicultural clinical training program for mental health practitioners and students, among other initiatives.

“Noche de Amor is a perfect occasion to celebrate our collective achievements,” said Healthcare Foundation Executive Director Kim Bender. “But there is still important work to be done. I’m thrilled to be welcoming new executive director Amy Ramirez, who brings a tremendous amount of experience and deep knowledge of our community to advance our health justice mission.”

NOCHE DE AMOR sponsorships start at $1,000 and accommodate four guests, and individual tickets are $300. Donations of any amount will count toward our Fund-a-Need. The generous commitments of NOCHE DE AMOR sponsors, ticket purchasers and donors support much more than a festive event: They are a powerful investment in the future of community wellbeing in northern Sonoma County. More information and a complete list of NOCHE DE AMOR sponsors can be found at: https://healthcarefoundation.net/events/noche-de-amor-2024/

What: 2024 Noche de Amor – A Benefit for Health Justice, community celebration and fundraiser

When: Saturday, June 8, 2024, 6:00 to 10:00 pm

Where: Bacchus Landing, 14210 Bacchus Landing Way, Healdsburg, CA 95448

Who: Healthcare Foundation Board Chair Wanda Tapia-Thomsen; Executive Director Kim Bender; Healdsburg City Council Member Ariel Kelley with inspirational testimonials from immigration attorney and poet Bernice Espinoza and Mental Health Talent Pipeline scholarship recipient Stephanie Sosa Manrique.

Press can be accommodated by contacting Kim Bender at kbender@healthcarefoundation.net or (707) 395-4924.

For more information: https://healthcarefoundation.net/events/noche-de-amor-2024/

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About the musical artists

The Curtis Family C-Notes play a slew of genres, with a strong foundation in American Classical music and ’60s & ’70s–inspired Bay Area funk. Papa C and Mama C, together with their children Zahara, Nile, Isis, Kiki, and Phoenix, are multi-instrumentalists, composers, producers and vocalists. They use their growing platform to highlight disparities that adversely affect marginalized communities in San Francisco. The Curtis Family takes pride in being part of an institution that makes high-quality music education accessible to people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities, regardless of financial means.

Mónica María‘s music reflects her Californian roots mixed with traditional, earthly and contemporary sounds of Latin America. A vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and composer, her songs are innovative and expressive of a world where cultures coexist, where fear is transformed by compassion, where we learn to truly love ourselves, and where we view the world from an empathetic and holistic state of mind. More at: monicamariamusic.com

About the Healthcare Foundation

Healthcare Foundation Northern Sonoma County connects people and resources to promote wellness in underserved communities. We do this by supporting nonprofits in the areas of access to healthcare and mental healthcare, with a vision of eliminating health inequities in our region. The organization’s values center on community, compassion, and equity. All of our strategies support equitable access to culturally sensitive healthcare and mental health services, and promote overall community wellness. Founded in 2001, the Healthcare Foundation has invested more than $24 million to build a healthier region for all who live, work and play in northern Sonoma County. For more information, visit healthcarefoundation.net.

Media Contact

Mary Ott, Development Director, Healthcare Foundation, mott@healthcarefoundation.net, (717) 542-4625