Community Transformation through the Moonlight Ball
Southwest Airlines is proud to partner with ECS, a nonprofit organization here in San Diego that is breaking barriers and transforming communities. ECS provides more than $38 million in health and human services in the areas of homelessness, mental health, substance use disorder treatment, and early childhood education to more than 7,000 clients in the San Diego region. Southwest Airlines takes pride in our reputation as the airline with Heart, and championing educational attainment for all continues to be a foundational principle that drives our work across the communities we serve. Whether in the air or on the ground, we believe community is more than a place, it’s at the Heart of what brings us together.
Community Transformation through the Moonlight Ball
ECS’ annual gala fundraiser – the Moonlight Ball – is fast approaching. On Saturday, May 18, this event raises funds to support their work focused on children’s services, drug and alcohol treatment, and homelessness services. ECS Head Start, ECS Para Las Familias, ECS CERRC (Central East Regional Recovery Center), ECS ACCORD (Alcohol Counseling Community Outreach Drop-In), ECS Uptown Safe Haven, and ECS C-HRT (Community Harm Reduction Team) Safe Haven support over 7,000 clients annually.
Masada Ellis is a current ECS Head Start parent and a member of the ECS Board of Directors. As a client of the organization, he has seen first-hand the benefits of the funds raised from the Moonlight Ball. “Head Start was there for me and my family at a time when we needed it, when things were not going right,” Ellis said. “It really progressed with me and my kids, helping one with speech and then helping the other two have a place to go and learn. A safe place where they relay respect, empathy, and a lot of other good core values to kids.”
Head Start was a big support to Ellis and his family. He shared that ECS is “addressing some critical community challenges,” and raising the funds to support that at the Moonlight Ball is important. “I am hoping to see more of what I saw last year, and that is people really giving from their heart and giving because they care,” Ellis shared. “They know giving back to ECS can help lead the way in a lot of challenges that the community faces.”
Last year’s Moonlight Ball proceeds were instrumental across all ECS programs, advancing efforts in homelessness, mental health, substance use disorder treatment, and early childhood education. This funding enabled ECS to extend its reach, offering comprehensive support and recovery programs to a greater number of the community’s most vulnerable individuals while enriching early learning opportunities for young children.
ECS Development Director Tim Whipple explained the transformative power of the funds raised at the annual gala. “This event is more than just a fundraiser; it is a lifeline that helps ECS to address the most pressing health and human services issues to meet the evolving needs of those we serve,” he stated. “It helps to expand our effectiveness in the community.”
Whipple also shared that the funds support behind-the-scenes work that allows ECS to function as an organization. “Without those funds, the organization would be at a standstill… we would not have the necessary means to operate as an agency; it just would not be possible.”
ECS would like to thank Southwest Airlines for their generosity and partnership. For several years, Southwest has provided financial and in-kind support to ECS. “They want to make an impact and care what our programs are about,” Whipple said. “Our mutual values of wanting to make a difference and break barriers in the community are very much aligned.”
All are invited to attend the Moonlight Ball to enjoy an elegant night of fun while making a positive difference in the community.
