GLIDE is pleased to announce the 19th Annual eBay for Charity Auction for Power Lunch with Warren Buffett. Offered through eBay for Charity, bidding for this year’s auction opens on Sunday, May 27 and runs until Friday, June 1. The 2017 auction brought in $2,679,001 for the winning bid to support GLIDE’s mission of providing San Francisco’s most vulnerable residents with unconditional support and love.
The annual Power Lunch with Warren Buffett is made possible through the support of eBay for Charity—one of the world’s largest charitable platforms, which helps millions of eBay users support the causes they care about. To date, more than $26 million has been raised, which is the only charity power lunch offered by Mr. Buffett. The winning bidder and up to seven friends will have the opportunity to dine with Mr. Buffett at Smith & Wollensky in New York City.
“We are grateful to Warren Buffett and eBay for enabling us to reach thousands with our programs and support,” said GLIDE’s Co-Founder and Minister of Liberation Reverend Cecil Williams. “In a world filled today with discord and division, GLIDE offers unconditional love, unconditional support and welcomes every person from every background to our community so that they can heal, learn, live and thrive.”
Bidding for this year’s Power Lunch begins at 7:30 pm PDT on Sunday, May 27 and ends at 7:30 pm PDT on Friday, June 1. Bidding starts at $25,000 and all bidders must be pre-qualified prior. To pre-qualify, visit: eBay.com/GLIDE.
For over 50 years, regardless of the political environment or changes in the economy, GLIDE has stood with the most vulnerable, including poor people, those with illness, people of color, immigrants, as well as all families and children fleeing war and oppression. Despite the rhetoric and fear in the world today, GLIDE remains a place for all of those in need to find a warm meal, access to health care and shelter, childcare and family services, and someone to advocate for them. GLIDE serves roughly 750,000 meals a year through its Daily Free Meals program.
“We help the most marginalized become stable and lift themselves out of poverty, addiction and social isolation – regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and socioeconomic background,” said GLIDE President and CEO Karen Hanrahan. “Warren Buffett’s generosity provides direct support to help the disenfranchised transform their lives. It allows GLIDE to remain a driving force for racial and economic equity in this city and beyond, and to reinforce our efforts to build legions of change agents.”
“GLIDE really takes people who have hit rock bottom and helps bring them back, said Warren Buffett. “They've been doing it for decades. If I can help out by raising some money for them, then I enjoy doing it”
“eBay enables consumers to shop with purpose, and through our platform, tens of thousands of non-profit organizations raise funds for a wide range of causes and issues. We are honored to continue our partnership with GLIDE for this iconic auction and help in its mission of alleviating the suffering of those under the debilitating grasp of poverty,” said eBay’s President and CEO Devin Wenig. “eBay’s community embodies the steadfast dedication to our goal of raising a billion dollars for charities by 2020.”
As host of the annual Power Lunch with Warren Buffett since 2004, Alan Stillman, founder of Smith & Wollensky, has generously donated at least $10,000 each year. Smith & Wollensky has been called “the quintessential New York steakhouse” by Gourmet Magazine and “the steakhouse to end all arguments” by The New York Times.
The Annual Power Lunch with Warren Buffett Charity Auction was conceived in 2000 by the late Susie Buffett, who long maintained a strong affinity for GLIDE’s efforts to provide dignity and opportunity to all people, regardless of income, gender, religion, political persuasion or any other factor. Over the past 18 years, the winning bids have ranged from $25,000 (prior to eBay’s involvement) to $3,456,789. The Power Lunch often brings in over 10% of GLIDE’s budget. Funds raised go directly to support GLIDE’s programs, which help people overcome hunger, poverty, homelessness and debilitating health challenges as well as social isolation and disempowerment. Last year’s auction brought in $2,679,001; the past decade has seen all winning bids come in at more than $1 million
eBay, which will host the auction for the 16th year in a row, will augment its support for GLIDE in 2018 with additional donations and an employee volunteer event.
For more information about GLIDE’s 19th Annual eBay Auction for Power Lunch with Warren Buffett, please contact GLIDE at (415) 674-6060, Buffett@GLIDE.org or visit eBay.com/GLIDE. For more information about GLIDE please visit GLIDE.org.
About GLIDE
For more than fifty years, GLIDE has worked to create a radically inclusive, just and loving community mobilized to alleviate suffering and break the cycles of poverty and marginalization. Located in the culturally rich Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco, GLIDE serves a diverse cross-section of homeless, low-income and disenfranchised program participants, providing a comprehensive set of programs including free meals; HIV/Hep C testing and counseling; housing assistance; domestic violence counseling and abatement; substance abuse recovery; licensed childcare; afterschool and summer programs for youth; a resource center for families; free legal services; and access to free primary and behavioral health care. GLIDE has founded and sustained visionary programming and achieved tangible results for tens of thousands of individuals and families on the margins, all once thought to be beyond the possible. For additional information, visit GLIDE.org.
About eBay for Charity
eBay for Charity enables members of the eBay community to connect with and support their favorite charities when they buy or sell in the U.S. and abroad. Sellers can donate up to 100 percent of the proceeds to a charity of their choice, while buyers can add a donation to their purchase during checkout. To date, nearly $810 million dollars has been raised for charity by the eBay community.