AAP – Food Samaritans to host season kickoff celebration featuring Broadway star Andrea McArdle

PALM SPRINGS – Food Samaritans (AAP) will begin its 2021-2022 season with a kickoff celebration on Thursday, October 7 at 6 p.m. at a private location in Palm Springs (address provided upon RSVP). There is no admission fee to attend, but attendance at the event signifies an intention to join the Jeannette Rockefeller Angel Program or purchase tickets to Evening Under the Stars (April 30, 2022), or become a sponsor of Evening Under the Stars. An RSVP is required by October 4. Call 760-325-8481 to RSVP.

Guests at the Season Kickoff celebration will enjoy cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and a special performance by the spectacular Broadway star, Andrea McArdle. Valet parking will be provided.

Food Samaritans Kick Off Season with Broadway Star

Andrea McArdle

Andrea McArdle first captured the hearts of theatergoers everywhere in 1977 when she originated the title role in the mega-musical ANNIE, based on the popular Harold Gray comic strip “Little Orphan Annie.” Since then, she has starred in several Broadway musicals and appeared in theatres nationally, and internationally. She has honed her craft by working with
some of the great legends of the entertainment industry such as Ethel Merman, Liza Minnelli, Julie Andrews, Bob Hope, Liberace, Frank Sinatra, Steve Martin, and Martin Short, to name a few, and was privileged to have appeared on television with Johnny Carson, Merv Griffin, and Dinah Shore.  McArdle’s performance has been underwritten by Joseph Johnson
& Thomas Andrika.

On display at the event will be a seating chart for AAP’s 27th Annual Evening Under the Stars gala, coming up April 30, 2022 and presented by Eisenhower Health. Attendees may select their seats from those available before anyone else.

Evening Under the Stars has grown to become one of the premier events in the Coachella Valley’s fundraising/social season with an audience of up to 1,500 attendees. Over the past 27 years since Evening Under the Stars began, it has not only raised money and increased awareness of AAP’s mission, it has also featured many significant and world-renowned performers. Early galas were intimate affairs at private estates in Palm Springs, but over time this fantastic evening of entertainment generated such an overwhelming demand for tickets that the event is now held on the spacious grounds of the O’Donnell Golf Club in downtown Palm Springs.

A wide variety of performers have enchanted the audience, often bringing them to their feet dancing. The Evening Under the Stars stage has featured Gladys Knight, Lily Tomlin & the cast of Laugh In, Cyndi Lauper, Mary Wilson, Pink Martini, The Go-Go’s, Barry Manilow, Bea Arthur, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, and the iconic Village People, among others. The event also brought back the music of ABBA and assembled the First Ladies of Disco.

The headline entertainment for 2022 will be announced at the Season Kickoff celebration. Tickets for t he gala will go on sale at the Kickoff celebration and begin at $395. Sponsorship opportunities begin at $7,500 for corporate or individual packages. Benefits include tickets to the event, recognition on-screen and in a printed program at the event, and may also include logo placement in advertising, printed materials, and more.

The Jeannette Rockefeller Angel Program honors the organization’s founding mothers – Jeannette Rockefeller, Gloria Greene, and Joanna Jakway – and supports its ongoing mission to help feed low-income people with chronic illnesses. Since its inception, AAP has distributed more than $13 million in direct client service to more than 2,750 clients. AAP’s clients get by on an annual income of less than $18,735. There are many benefits that accompany each level of giving in the Jeannette Rockefeller Angel Program, including tickets to AAP’s iconic ‘Evening Under the Stars’ event.

“2021 marks 30 years since our organization was created,” said Mark Anton, CEO and Executive Director of AAP – Food Samaritans. “With the expansion of our mission in 2015, we changed our name to better reflect the inclusion of low-income people living with other chronic illnesses in addition to HIV/AIDS. We know that being part of this community means helping those among us who are struggling, and we will continue to serve all who need us with the help of our dedicated community.”

AAP will continue to monitor health advisories and will comply with all the current measures, regulations and mandates set forth by the City of Palm Springs and the County of Riverside. This may or may not include requiring masks and/or social distancing required to limit the spread of COVID-19. If safety measures change, all guests who have RSVP’d will be notified via email. If applicable, city mandates requiring proof of vaccine or a negative test prior to entry will be observed.

For more information about AAP – Food Samaritans and the Season Kickoff celebration, call 760-325-8481 or click here.

Image Sources

  • Andrea: O'Bayley Communications
  • Event Set Up: O'Bayley Communications