Each year, football's main event, the Super Bowl, graces a rotation of different U.S. cities. In 2016, America's favorite city of San Francisco played host to the NFL's grand finale.
Host cities spend years preparing to welcome visitors from throughout the world to their metropolis. Along with the big game comes a throne of events for fans, media and charity events.
This year's main charity event was held the night before Super Bowl Sunday and featured Jay Leno, Joe Montana, Matt William, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom hosted Big Game Big Give's star-studded private Super Bowl fundraiser.
Joe Montana with wife Jennifer
Big Game Big Give is an exclusive, invitation-only fundraiser presented by The Giving Back Fund to benefit local charities. The organization presented its annual Big Game Big Give cocktail party in the Super Bowl city the weekend of the big game, and it was held this year at the private estate of Jillian Manus in Atherton, Calif.
The star-studded gala has become a favorite among the philanthropy elite, with previous celebrity hosts including Alec Baldwin, Michael Bay, Mark Wahlberg, Hilary Swank, Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore. The 2010 Big Game Big Give, hosted by Michael Bay in his Miami home, was selected as the No. 1 party of Super Bowl XLIV by ESPN The Magazine. The 2015 event, held in the Phoenix home of former MLB superstar Matt Williams and his lovely wife, Erika, raised over $1,000,000, a record for a Super Bowl charity event.
Big Game Big Give drew over 500 celebrities, athletes, business entrepreneurs, philanthropists and other VIPs. To keep the event enjoyable for guests, a limited number of people are invited to purchase tickets by GBF, or on the recommendation of the event's prestigious local Host Committee. Guests enjoy cocktails and appetizers while mingling in a relaxed, luxurious and intimate environment. The event will culminate in a live auction and is also set with silent auction items, bars, appetizer stations and unique displays and experiences.
A replica of the Golden Gate Bridge adorned the main outside indoor atrium
To showcase the Bay Area's philanthropic spirit, this year the organization will honor the Giving Pledgers -- founded by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett who have pledged to donate at least half of their net worth to charity in their lifetime.
The foundation's 2016 Celebrity Co-Hosts were former SF Giants All-Star Matt Williams and former SF 49er Super Bowl hero Joe Montana with Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom as Honorary Co-Chair and Comedy and Talk Show Legend Jay Leno as the Emcee for the evening. Philanthropist Jillian Manus has generously opened her Atherton estate to host the intimate affair and will co-host the event along with Erika Williams.
Manus is managing partner of venture capital firm Structure Capital, a Silicon Valley early stage fund investing in underutilized capacity and excess assets. She often appears on Bloomberg TV in Europe as a business commentator and has a family foundation whose mission is to create paths of self-sufficiency for women and children. Her mantra in life is to "pass all blessings forward," and she encourages others to do the same.
BMW showcased its 2016 line of Cars and SUVs
Williams is the Founder and Creator of The Hopeless Housewife, a cooking and lifestyle brand including a website, series of cooking videos and cookbook. She started her career in television as a news anchor on KJTV then moved to Phoenix where she anchored the weekend evening newscast on KTVK's Good Evening Arizona and The News Show. Williams has also co-hosted the Arizona Diamondbacks' pre-game show DBacks on Deck, with her husband, Matt Williams.
Host committee members included: Melissa Badger, Michael Bay, Rob Chestnut, Suzette & Jeff Clarke, Nobuko Cleary, Ron Conway, Aaron DeBevoise, Leland & Susan Faust, Mary Gullixson, Elizabeth Holmes, JT Holmes, Damir Jandricek, Chris Kelly, Andrew & Kira Kosove, Frederica Lofquist, Jeff & Missy Morris, Alan Salzman, Trevor Traina, Andy Won, Elaine Wynn and Brad & Sarah Yonover
The event did not disappoint The 2016 Big Game Big Give fundraiser took place at the exquisite private estate and grounds of philanthropist Jillian Manus in Atherton, CA.
Michael Frante and his band got the crowd dancing and kept the party going
It's good to give back. Over one million dollars was raised.About The Giving Back Fund.
The Giving Back Fund (GBF) is a national public charity that creates and professionally manages charitable foundations and other philanthropic programs for athletes, entertainers, business entrepreneurs, and corporations. Since our founding in 1997, GBF has created an important niche in expanding and diversifying philanthropy, particularly among young people, women and people of color. Our unique structure allows donors to direct more of their charitable dollars to causes they care about and less to administrative overhead. To date, The Giving Back Fund has provided philanthropic consulting, management and programming to more than 200 athletes, entertainers, entrepreneurs, and other high-net-worth individuals. GBF has overseen the distribution of tens of millions of dollars in charitable grants within the United States and other countries, and has developed dozens of unique scholarship, mentoring, medical, arts, and other philanthropic programs.
For additional information, please visit www.givingback.org.