Inside the Baby2Baby Gala Honoring Charlize Theron, Nelly Performs

Charlize Theron traded her post-election “depressed sweats” for a surprising Schiaparelli robe to gather the Giving Tree Award at Baby2Baby’s annual gala on Saturday evening, which raised a record-breaking $17.1 million to offer fundamental requirements to youngsters residing in poverty.

“I’m unsure about all of you, however I believe all of us wanted an evening like tonight. An evening that looks like hope,” Theron instructed the well-heeled crowd of greater than 800 Hollywood expertise and executives, enterprise leaders and philanthropists supporting the nationwide non-profit’s mission. During the last 13 years, Baby2Baby has distributed greater than 470 million essential gadgets — together with diapers, method and clothes — to households in want throughout the nation.

Theron was acknowledged for her work with the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Venture (CTAOP), which celebrates its seventeenth anniversary this 12 months. “We began CTAOP as a result of we noticed that the youth in my residence nation, in South Africa, falling via the cracks,” Theron defined. “HIV charges have been going via the roof, in addition to gender-based violence charges. And even now, as we speak, South Africa has a femicide fee 5 occasions the worldwide common. It’s devastating. So, we knew we needed to get entangled.”

Whereas these points might sound removed from the world of Hollywood, they’re really of common concern. “What we’re speaking about is fairness, dignity and keenness,” Theron mentioned of CTAOP and Baby2Baby’s parallel goals. “It’s obviously apparent how necessary it’s proper now — as we right here in the USA are seeing the rights of girls being stripped away from us in actual time — it will be significant for us to do not forget that the rights of women and younger ladies on the market should be supported.”

Grammy-winning singer and Baby2Baby Angel ambassador Ciara shared related sentiment on the inexperienced carpet as she — like most of the Baby2Baby attendees who’re amongst Hollywood’s most philanthropic and politically-inclined — had spent the previous few months forward of the 2024 election on the marketing campaign path.

“The final 4 days have been surreal,” Ciara instructed Selection. “Days of marvel, days of concern, days of worry, days additionally of hope. Days of reminding myself to stroll by religion and to be optimistic within the midst of all of this that’s occurring.” However that’s why she’s channels her power into organizations like Baby2Baby — it’s all in pursuit of placing goodness into the world. “You get out and do no matter you may within the largest manner doable. All of us could make a distinction, particularly once we do it collectively.”

Ciara was removed from the one bold-faced title on this system for the gala, held on the Pacific Design Heart in West Hollywood. The night kicked off with an unique video from the set of the brand new season of  “The White Lotus,” that includes Baby2Baby Angel Michelle Monaghan and Patrick Schwarzenegger, adopted by a welcome from Jennifer Garner. Then, Ciara, Ayesha Curry and Katy Perry took the stage to spotlight Baby2Baby’s unbelievable year-round work. Baby2Baby board member Julie Bowen and her “Fashionable Household” co-star Jesse Tyler Ferguson led the fundraising portion of the night, which noticed the likes of Miranda Kerr, Paris Hilton, Sofia Richie Grainge, Rick Caruso, Tyler Perry, Jay Shetty and Chrissy Teigen and John Legend opening their wallets. To shut out the celebration, Nelly carried out a medley of his largest hits, together with“Trip Wit Me” and “Scorching in Herre,” and recruited Baby2Baby board member Kelly Rowland to affix him on stage for his or her 2002 hit single “Dilemma.”

On the inexperienced carpet, Nelly and Ashanti mirrored on why it was necessary to take part within the occasion — particularly as new mother and father. (The couple welcomed their first little one collectively, child boy Kareem Kenkaide Haynes, in July.) “It’s so laborious. I couldn’t think about not having the help like I’ve. I’m capable of assist and it’s a blessing,” Ashanti instructed Selection, as Nelly chimed in. “As fathers, you place a lot pleasure in defending and wanting to ensure all people’s protected, so anytime you get an opportunity to come back out for one thing equivalent to this nice occasion, it really works.”