Napa nonprofit Moving Forward Towards Independence serving neurodiverse adults marks 25 years
The Napa nonprofit Moving Forward Towards Independence is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a fundraising gala on Aug. 26 at the Napa Valley Country Club.
Board president Marita Musante said in a Tuesday interview she hopes the event will help “celebrate and cement our community’s place in Napa,” and encourages all to attend or donate as they are able.
All proceeds from gala ticket sales, donations and sponsorships go directly toward Moving Forward Towards Independence, a residential program offering transitional and independent living support to adults with developmental, learning and autism spectrum disabilities, the nonprofit said in a news release.
Musante, whose son has been a resident in the program for four years, said the “goal is that no one is ever isolated,” and that the program creates communities for neurodiverse adults looking to learn life skills and grow into independent members of society.
She said the biggest fundraising hurdle "has been that no one in Napa knows we exist,” a problem for a 25-year-old organization supporting more than 40 residents and about half that number in staff. Much of the group's previous fundraising has been inward-facing because it supports a vulnerable community, Musante added, but members want to spread the word about their organization, its residents and the group's financial needs.
Bryan Daniels, board treasurer, said Tuesday the “whole intent (of the gala) is getting the community more involved,” both to include Moving Forward residents in more Napa events and because “there’s no lack of need.”
He described the gala as a fun event for about 200 attendees who can expect the high quality food and drink synonymous with Napa Valley, as well as a silent auction and a live auction.
Musante said that at Moving Forward, “we give our residents a life and experiences and so we are giving that at the gala,” going on to describe the vacation packages and other such experiences that will be up for auction. Organizers are still looking for local businesses to feature at the auction as well.
Video presentations at the event will educate guests about Moving Forward and its mission, and some program residents will perform alongside other musical acts.
Moving Forward recently posted a video to its website in which residents discussed how the program has helped build their independence, describing the cooking, social and athletic experiences and relationships they’ve had since joining.
Funds from the gala will support those classes and experiences as well as paying for upgrades. Daniels said that “the program is meant to be lifelong … We need to improve facilities to adapt to our aging community as well as incoming younger members.”
“We need air conditioning,” said Musante, pointing to the lack of climate control at Moving Forward's main campus as its greatest need. Moving Forward’s capital improvement plan includes an air conditioning system as its top-line item, in the $20,000 “Big Band Leader” tier. Sponsors can expect to have their logos displayed throughout Moving Forward’s website and gala, and will receive other incentives depending on their donation amounts.
Moving Forward hopes to use sponsorship and gala revenue to complete the remodeling of several dormitories and cover the cost of vehicle maintenance, according to Musante. She said that Moving Forward owns vans that are heavily used for group outings — escape room visits, classes and trips to San Francisco for Golden State Warriors games — that are often the residents’ favorite experiences, and which organizers want to expand with increased community support.
Skills classes such as cooking are also highly popular, and Musante said Moving Forward offers an employment coaching program that also stands to benefit from the August gala.
Musante had two words for those who can’t attend the gala or make a donation: “Come volunteer!”
“The value of volunteering — I really can’t oversell that,” she said, asking helpers to come by to impart a skill, play an instrument or even just play a hand of Uno to better involve Moving Forward's residents with the community.
Daniels discussed the hope that the gala and volunteers' efforts will “(build) awareness out there so we can get the residents included in more events” that they should be made a part of.
The residents “are a wonderful employment base and even better people,” Musante said. Moving Forward’s executive director Cecily Akwari, in the nonprofit's announcement, wrote that “the resilience, compassion, and unconditional love that residents share with me on a daily basis make it difficult to distinguish between this being a job or a calling. They are a gift.”
If you go
The Moving Forward Towards Independence's 25th anniversary gala is scheduled for 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Napa Valley Country Club, 3385 Hagen Road, Napa. Tickets are $175 per person or $300 per couple. Sponsorship packages include tickets and range from $500 to $20,000.
Visit Auction Frogs for tickets and moving-forward.org for more information.
