The Impact Gala brought partners, supporters, families, and friends together to support substance use treatment and recovery on Saturday, October 10, 2026, at the Wende Museum in Culver City.

We are proud to share that our sold-out gala surpassed its fundraising goal, raising $229,000 for Impact’s treatment programs. Impact CEO Christina Gonzales shared: "Every dollar raised tonight goes directly toward Impact programs and patient needs, big and small."

A beautiful evening celebrating recovery, the event featured live music by Hand Drawn Maps, delicious food from Great Taste Catering, and a live auction and paddle raise hosted by emcee Ali Macofsky and Impact's William McLaughlin.

Major supports included our generous presenting sponsors, the McMillen Family Foundation, and gold sponsors, Citizens Private Wealth, MCS Burbank, and Columbia Bank.

We also gave guests a deeper look at Impact's ongoing partnerships that are driving meaningful change in substance use treatment and recovery.

In sharing on the theme of the event, Christina explained: "Sometimes the box is exactly what someone needs: structure, safety, accountability, and a place to begin again. Other times, progress requires us to look beyond it, take a risk, challenge convention, and imagine something better. Impact can embrace both structure and possibility because we don’t do this work alone. Our community steps inside the box with us when our patients need support and stands outside the box with us when we dare to try something new."

Two partners were honored at the gala for their work both at Impact and in the wider community.

The Outside the Box Award went to the Pasadena Police Department Command Staff: Chief Eugene Harris, Commander William Grisafe, Deputy Chief Art Chute, Commander Sean Dawkins, Commander Karen Peterson, and Commander Marcia Taglioretti.

Through Impact Alliance, new officers with the Pasadena Police Department train at our residential facility, and patients who may have had difficult encounters with law enforcement meet the people behind the badge. These conversations build trust and help create a stronger path to treatment and care for our community, supporting a different approach to encounters between officers and people in crisis.

The Inside the Box Award went to the USC Prison Education Project, led by co-directors Nicholas De Dominic and Kate Levin.

The USC Dornsife Prison Education Project (PEP) brings USC faculty, students, and incarcerated students together in collaborative college-level learning that expands access to education and sparks creativity. Their work also extends to Impact: through PEP, USC professors teach courses to patients in our residential treatment program, bringing educational opportunities directly to our campus and opening doors to higher education that many never imagined possible.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, a close partner of Impact, also made a guest appearance. Our Drug Court program relies on relationships within the justice system to advocate for our patients, strengthen public safety, and create transformational change. Hochman spoke on our shared belief that opportunity and accountability can create a path forward for those struggling with addiction.

Impact is deeply grateful to everyone who sponsored, attended, and supported the event. As a nonprofit, every partnership we have and every dollar we raise is vital to our mission. Your generosity allows us to step in during times of crisis, providing the tools and compassionate care individuals need to overcome addiction and rebuild their lives from the ground up.

Thank you for standing with us, celebrating recovery, and being part of The Impact Gala.

See photos from our gala on Facebook here: The Impact Gala 2026 Photo Album.