In 1997, during the height of the AIDS epidemic, the SEARCH (Special Events Assistance and Resources with a Caring Heart) Foundation was founded to help special events professionals facing life-threatening illnesses. Fast forward to today and SEARCH has expanded to provide services to anyone in the special events industry confronted with a catastrophic occurrence, distributing over $250,000 in crisis relief funds since its formation. SEARCH is the only nonprofit to do so.
“Once I attended my first SEARCH fundraising event, I understood right away how important this cause was,” says chairwoman Kelly White. “I had always wanted to be an events professional and felt so lucky to do what I loved every day. This Foundation was the perfect way to directly give back to an industry and to people who mean so much to me.”
Currently, SEARCH is conducting efforts to expand its scope and influence on a global level by prioritizing outreach. “I feel we are in a growth stage and it is an exciting time to be chairwoman,” says White. “There are so many event professionals out there and we are here to support them. We want to ensure they know we are here to help if they need us.”
The need for this kind of assistance derives from the fact that the special events industry is entrepreneurial and often small business based. “When crisis strikes and individuals are unable to work or to run their business, a few missed jobs or skipped paychecks can mean the difference between being comfortable and being in crisis,” says White. “This is why we do what we do; this is why SEARCH is so important to the special events industry and why we need people’s support to help those in need.”
