The first convention I ever attended was a baseball card one in New York City. My parents dragged me along with my two brothers who were bouncing with anticipation. They waited in long lines to meet Reggie Jackson, Mickey Mantle and each time I just waved hello. Then I met catcher Yogi Berra. I didn’t get his autograph, but I wanted to talk to him about catching. He may not have been a NY Met, but he was an all-time great at my softball position. I don’t remember much of the conversation, but I will never forget the experience.
QFX Events wants to give you a similar memory that will last a lifetime while helping out some amazing charities. This is where the Tea Time Charity Auctions comes in. How would you like to spend 30 minutes one-on-one time, having a cup of tea or coffee with one of the participating guests? You can ask advice on your future endeavors, discuss their latest works or future ones as well.
There are some things to take into consideration BEFORE you submit a bid. Go to our Tea Time page for more in-depth explanations, but here’s the short list:
100% of all funds raised goes to the charity
Date is scheduled based on donor’s availability, and will take place at QFX East. Winner will be notified no less than 10 days prior to the start of QFX East
To participate: You MUST register and be approved to bid PRIOR to the auction start date - Auction is 2/1/2020 at 10AM EST to 2/10/2020 9PM EST
You cannot resell, transfer or re-auction these off
Event is limited to ages 12+. Minors must have an adult with them.
Guests reserve the right to have their handler, agent or representative with them during the meeting.
We want this to be a memorable experience for all parties involved, which means providing a safe space as well. So, you might be subject to a background check and you are expected to behave in an appropriate manner while attending. Remember, the guests graciously donating their time are people too.
Without further ado, here is an alphabetical list of participating guests and a short description of the charity they’re supporting.
Ana Paula Lima: Casinha is a nonprofit organization and serves as a home for socially vulnerable LGBTQ+ youth. They also have a free cultural center that promotes educational, artistic and recreational activities, open to all, to transform social perception about the LGBTQ+ community.
Anna Silk: Girls Get Equal is a youth-led social change campaign about ensuring every girl and young woman has power over her life and the world around her. Instead of focusing on a single issue, such as girls’ education, Girls Get Equal aims to change the way in which girls are valued in society so they no longer have to face injustice and oppression. Girls Get Equal is about girls not holding back or conforming to what stereotypes dictate. It’s about power, leadership and youth-led action to advance girls’ rights and gender equality. And we’re raising our voices to amplify theirs.
Arryn Zech: ACLU lawyers have been at the center of one history-making court case after another, participating in more Supreme Court cases than any other private organization. With attorneys nationwide, we handle thousands of cases each year on behalf of clients whose rights have been violated. The ACLU’s mission remains realizing the promise of the Bill of Rights for all and expanding the reach of its guarantees to new areas. Beyond one person, party, or side — the ACLU dares to create a more perfect union.
Devery Jacobs: The Native Women's Shelter of Montreal has provided shelter and support to First Nations, Inuit and Métis women and their children. Their shelter provides an environment where women can focus on their various challenges and rebuild their lives. Their in-house programs combined with our outreach services help in the healing process of women, while assisting them in re-establishing a balanced lifestyle.
Dominique Provost-Chalkley: GRIS-Montréal, which stands for Research and Social Intervention Group, is a non-profit community organization that demystifies sexual orientation and gender identity by sharing testimonies of lived experiences. We are a family of more than 250 volunteers working tirelessly to build a more open and accepting society.
Emily Andras: The Lesbian Health Fund has awarded more than $860,000 to fund lesbian health research and is the only U.S. research fund dedicated solely to the unique health needs of lesbians and sexual minority women. LHF remains committed to improving the health of lesbians and sexual minority women over the lifespan, from early childhood, through adolescence, and adulthood, including aging. There is still great need to understand how social determinants, especially race and ethnicity, influence the health and wellbeing of lesbians, sexual minority women and their families.
Erica Luttrell: Journey Out is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit leading the fight for the freedom and survival of all those whose lives have been destroyed by sex trafficking or commercial sexual exploitation. Their mission is to help victims of commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking leave a life of abuse and violence, overcome their fears, and empower them to reach their full potential and achieve their goals.
Isabella Gomez: The Conservation Fund, working with public, private and nonprofit partners, protects America’s legacy of land and water resources through land acquisition, sustainable community and economic development, and leadership training, emphasizing the integration of economic and environmental goals. By creating solutions that make environmental and economic sense, we are redefining conservation to demonstrate its essential role in our future prosperity. Top-ranked for efficiency and effectiveness, we have worked in all 50 states to protect over 8 million acres of land since 1985.
Kat Barrell: Magic Wheelchair is a nonprofit organization that builds epic costumes for kiddos in wheelchairs — at no cost to families. Their mission is to bring communities together to create unforgettable moments for children around the world by transforming their wheelchairs into magic.
Luciana Bollina: Casa 1 supports at-risk LGBTQ+ individuals who have been expelled from their homes due to their affective sexual orientations and gender identities. They provide cultural and educational activities, which focus on promoting cultural diversity, fostering the production of knowledge/free culture and provide free, inclusive and quality programming for individuals in need. Casa 1 also offers workshops, courses, exhibitions, lectures, debates and exhibitions to ensure a safe space for creation and knowledge for all.
Lyrica Okano: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals® (ASPCA®) was the first humane society to be established in North America and is, today, one of the largest in the world. The ASPCA’s mission, as stated by founder Henry Bergh in 1866, is “to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States.”
Mandahla Rose: MaeDay Rescue is a non-profit dog rescue based in Los Angeles. Each year, they save hundreds of dogs from the shelters and streets through their foster-based program. They save dogs of all breeds and all ages - and sometimes cats too!
Rachel Skarsten: The Labelle Foundation is a Los Angeles foster based animal rescue devoted to rescuing, rehabilitating, advocating for dogs. Their goal is to help the animals they assist find perfect forever families. The organization also specializes in neonatal orphans and sick or special-need medical puppies.
Zoie Palmer: KidsAbility is the recognized leader in Waterloo Region and Guelph-Wellington for empowering children and youth with a wide range of complex special needs to realize their full potential. Through a talented team of therapists, teachers, support staff and volunteers, nearly 8,000 children and youth, from birth to school exit, benefited from therapy and support services at KidsAbility sites in Cambridge, Fergus, Guelph, Kitchener and Waterloo last year.
Now that you’ve seen who the guests are raising money for, head over to the Auction Website and prepare to bid! Remember, you MUST be approved and have a login BEFORE bidding begins. So if you haven’t done so already, please do so now.
**Until next time, this is Kimberly “no capes” Amato, signing off.**