Los Angeles Benefit: 2010

The Adoption Institute's Los Angeles Benefit – Celebrating ... Our Families, Our Children – was a success in every way. In addition to reuniting with West Coast friends, and making new ones, we were able to share information on many of the Institute's exciting projects. With the help of our Host Committee, we raised almost $90,000 in sponsorships and donations, more than meeting our goal for the event. This funding is vital to keep our work going in the coming year, and is especially important during the current recession, when other sources of support are strained.

Our event hosts, HBO Entertainment President Sue Naegle and her husband, writer and comedian Dana Gould (who are adoptive parents), created such a warm atmosphere in their lovely home, which was filled with about 100 guests who showed a great interest in the Institute's work. In addition to remarks by our hosts and by Adoption Institute Board President Susan Notkin and Executive Director Adam Pertman, actor Carla Gugina introduced her friend and agent, Peter Levine, the evening's honoree. Several of Peter's clients, including Helen Hunt and Shohreh Aghdashloo, were there to celebrate with us.

We extend our deepest thanks to the event's co-chairs – Institute Board members Caroline Fitzgibbons, Kathleen Hricik and Sandy McManus – as well to everyone on the hard-working and generous Host Committee (please see the full list on the event invitation here). Hricik, McManus Notkin and Pertman all made the trip West, as did Institute Development Director Laura James, while Research & Project Director David Brodzinsky and his wife, Anne, traveled south from San Francisco to represent the Institute to its L.A. friends and supporters.

We are grateful to our generous supporters, especially our corporate sponsors, for helping to make this important event a success. Click here to see the corporate sponsors.

Thanks also to the donors to our silent auction, which raised almost $8,000:

"Mad Men" Universal Studios Margie and Bill Lombard Every Picture Tells A Story FOX/"American Dad"

HBO Sony Max Studio Nickelodeon

With special thanks to: Ame Austin, Helaine Bruck Ross & Glenn Ross, Scott Lowell, Caroline Fitzgibbons, Laura James, Kathleen Hricik, Amy Pascal and Bernie Weinraub.

Actor Carla Gugino presents the award to her friend and agent, Peter Levine, the evening's honoree	Writer/director/producer Matthew Carnahan with his wife, actor/writer/ director Helen Hunt, also a client and friend of Peter Levine.
Institute Executive Director Adam Pertman, Amy Austin of Maxstudio, an event sponsor, and honoree Peter Levine.	Actors (and friends) Laura Innes and Nanci Christopher
Event host Sue Naegle, head of HBO Entertainment, with Institute supporters and Host Committee members Glenn and Helaine Ross	Actor Shohreh Aghdashloo with agent and friend Peter Levine

Adoption Institute Board President Susan Notkin, actor Julie Bowen, Atlanta Artist Radcliffe Bailey and his wife, actor and writer Victoria Rowell, and Institute E.D. Pertman