From left: Mitzi Alpizar, Maria Guerrero, Darrell Brown | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom 
Silent auction | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom 
Girls Inc. of Carpinteria hosted an inaugural Girls Inc. Gala on Saturday, February 22. | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom 
Girls Inc. of Carpinteria hosted an inaugural Girls Inc. Gala on Saturday, February 22. | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom 
Richard Garnica & Ivette Martinez, Event Photographers | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom 
Girls Inc. of Carpinteria hosted an inaugural Girls Inc. Gala on Saturday, February 22. | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom 
Wine toss | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom 
Aja & Joey Forner | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom 
Alan Koch, Monica Solorzano, and Jena Jenkins | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom 
Girls Inc. of Carpinteria hosted an inaugural Girls Inc. Gala on Saturday, February 22. | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom 
Jun Starkey | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom 
Girls Inc. of Carpinteria hosted an inaugural Girls Inc. Gala on Saturday, February 22. | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom 
Girls Inc. of Carpinteria hosted an inaugural Girls Inc. Gala on Saturday, February 22. | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom 
Girls Inc. of Carpinteria hosted an inaugural Girls Inc. Gala on Saturday, February 22. | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom 
Natalia Alarcon, Mayor of Carpinteria | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom 
Tess Ortega & Jamie Balch Collins (Development Director & Executive Director) | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom 
Courtney Rainwater, Event MC | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom 
Lea Boyd on the dance floor | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom 
Live auction | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom 
Esther and Hans Brand, Honorees | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom 
Dessert Dash | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom 
Girls Inc. of Carpinteria hosted an inaugural Girls Inc. Gala on Saturday, February 22. | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom
Girls Inc. of Carpinteria hosted an inaugural Girls Inc. Gala on Saturday, February 22. Guests were invited to don their finest red, white, and black attire for an arrival strut on the red carpet that led to an evening of merriment and generosity inside the dressed-up site of Girls Inc. on Foothill Road. The creative planning of the Girls Inc. team and philanthropic nature of attendees paid off with a record-breaking fundraising event total of $230,000.
Funds for programs empowering girls to be “strong, smart, and bold” rolled in through ticket prices, yard games (wine toss, etc.), silent and live auctions, and a dessert dash. MC Courtney Rainwater kept the evening (and funds) flowing with energy and humor while guests enjoyed a gourmet dinner provided by Carp Kitchen. Executive Director Jamie Balch Collins shared emotional accounts of student growth and impact of her staff members and event honorees Esther and Hans Brand. DJ A Smooth Exchange closed the evening with a dance party to celebrate the community coming together in support of the Girls Inc. mission.
Development Director Tess Ortega expressed her gratitude to supporters and detailed how the money raised from this event will be used. “These funds will help us expand our impact by supporting young women ages 18-22 through our newest program, Project Accelerate, which equips them with essential resources as they navigate the transition into adulthood and early career success,” Ortega said. “Additionally, we are increasing scholarship opportunities, ensuring that even more girls can access life-changing programs. This effort aligns with our ongoing transition from a fee-based program model to a sliding-scale model, making our programs even more accessible.”
