Dear Friends,

Welcome to NORA's 44th Annual Dinner & Auction Gala: NORA in Bloom. Tonight, we gather in celebration of resilience, compassion, and the transformative power of community.

As I reflect on this past year, I am filled with deep gratitude for our Board of Directors, our dedicated staff, our extraordinary volunteers, and the community partners who walk beside us. Most of all, I am grateful to the families and survivors who trust us to show up for them every day. Their courage is the reason we exist, and their healing is the heart of our mission.

This evening, we honor extraordinary individuals whose leadership, compassion, and generosity illuminate our path forward. Amber McClellan, our Advocate of the Year, embodies dedication and empathy in her unwavering service to survivors. Cathy and Steve Kienle, our Community Engagement Partners of the Year, have built a legacy of philanthropy and kindness that has uplifted countless across the Inland Empire. Paul and Mary Anne Gill, our Jane Block Trailblazer Award recipients, exemplify a lifetime of service, advocacy, and generosity that strengthens NORA's mission every day. We have pay tribute to the enduring legacy of Jane Block, whose passion for justice and compassion for survivors continues to guide and inspire our work.

At NORA, we believe that every act of kindness, every hour of service, and every gift of support plants a seed of hope. Together, we nurture those seeds so that survivors may grow, bloom, and thrive in safety and strength.

"Nothing can dim the light which shines from within."

-Maya Angelou

Thank you for being here tonight and for believing in this mission. With your partnership, NORA will continue to be a source of healing, justice, and hope — not just for today, but for generations to come.

Peace,

Dr. Adriane Lamar Snider, Chief Executive Officer