La Jolla couple to host St. Germaine Children’s Charity Silver Tea for the third year in a row

Longtime philanthropists and La Jolla residents Dawn and Bill Davidson are once again hosting St. Germaine Children’s Charity’s (SGCC) 36th Annual Silver Tea this year at their home in La Jolla. The event is the nonprofit’s signature fundraising event for the year.

More than 300 guests traditionally gather for the event, which will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 3. The elegant afternoon tea includes festive décor, refreshments, a silent auction and, of course, tea. One-hundred percent of all proceeds will be used to fund local child-abuse prevention and treatment programs in San Diego County.

The Davidsons are longtime supporters of St. Germaine and have hosted the Silver Tea fundraiser twice in the past. Dawn believes the cause is more urgent than ever before. “Child abuse is at the forefront of the news today, with trafficking and abuse of children who are so young,” she says. “We have no choice but to get involved and do our job to prevent it.”

Stefanie Bedingfield, president of SGCC, is thrilled to have the fundraiser at the Davidson residence once again. “We are so honored that the Davidsons are hosting our Tea again,” she says. “Our goal is to increase our reach to greater San Diego. Dawn and Bill are well known in our city, and we hope that as people recognize their contribution to St. Germaine, learn more about our organization and hopefully attend our Silver Tea, we will have an opportunity to double our funding in 2019.”

If you’re wondering where the name “St. Germaine Children’s Charity” came from, the nonprofit was name after a young French girl who suffered abuse throughout her young life. Despite her abuse, this girl dedicated her life to those in need – sharing her meager food with the hungry, helping the troubled find peace, and giving love to all needy and abused children.

SGCC was founded in 1984 to prevent child abuse and improve the lives of abused and neglected children in San Diego. In addition to annual monetary awards to support program services, it also provides clothing, equipment, toys, school supplies and household items to local agencies. The nonprofit has donated more than $4.5 million to the San Diego community. Most recently, the organization gave $125,000 in grants to 10 local agencies helping abused kids. Those agencies are Angels Foster Family Network, Armed Services YMCA, Casa de Amparo, Center for Community Solutions, Children’s Legal Services of San Diego, Monarch School, San Diego Center for Children, SAY San Diego, South Bay Community Services and Voices for Children.

The impact of child abuse on the San Diego community reaches much further than the kids directly involved. According to SGCC, the San Diego community experiences the emotional and economic impact through displaced families, increased medical costs, rising prison populations and unfulfilled potential.

If you’d like to attend the annual fundraising gala, go to stgermainechildrenscharity.org. You can also donate goods, volunteer your time, become an underwriter or provide financial support for the organization.