WEIRA Annual Gala 2026 · «Finding Her Wings» · Saturday, September 19, 2026 · 5:00–9:00 PM · Studio Anthurium, San Mateo
A beautiful evening
of music, candlelight
and good company
In support of women starting their lives over
A cocktail reception with a signature WEIRA cocktail, dinner by Haute Cuisine Catering, live classical music and a silent auction. Elegant evening attire, flowers and candlelight, 120 guests and no assigned seating.
Live classical music through the evening: harp, violin, piano and opera voice — Debussy, Ave Maria and more
A silent auction of about 20 lots — travel, art, dinners, experiences. Bid if something catches you, and have fun keeping an eye on it: don’t let anyone outbid you before the night is over
A room of wonderful people who chose to spend this Saturday evening the same way you did — WEIRA’s guests, volunteers, sponsors and friends from across the Bay Area
The money from the event goes toward women who had to leave home with their children to escape abuse
General Admission. $90 starting September 6. WEIRA is a 501(c)(3)
An evening of hope, community and new beginnings in support of immigrant women rebuilding their lives after domestic violence and other life challenges
What your ticket includes
An elegant cocktail reception featuring signature WEIRA cocktail
Delicious dinner by Haute Cuisine Catering
Harp, violin, piano, opera vocals
A curated silent auction & raffle with exclusive items and experiences
120 guests, no assigned seating
The formal program runs under an hour, and nobody works the room with a microphone asking for money.
Dress code: elegant evening attire · the evening is in Russian with English translation
An evening of hope, community & new beginnings
How the evening goes
5:00 PM
Welcome Reception
Dinner Buffet · WEIRA Signature Cocktail · Wine
Live Harp · Silent Auction · Photos & Connections
6:00 PM
Finding Her Wings
Opening Performance · Stories of Hope & New Beginnings
Live Music · WEIRA’s Community & Impact
7:00 PM
Giving & Live Music
Fund-a-Need · Live Piano Performance
An Opportunity to Make a Meaningful Difference
7:15 PM
Intermission & Silent Auction
Final Bidding · Drinks · Connections
7:30 PM
Celebration & Gratitude
Live Violin · Volunteer Recognition
Vocal Performance · Raffle
8:15 PM
Closing Reception
Drinks · Photos · Conversations
Silent Auction Checkout
9:00 PM
Evening Concludes
Times are approximate
In Russian with English translation
Food, drinks and conversation run throughout
Why there’s no assigned seating
At a seated dinner you spend the whole evening with the people you were placed next to. Here you walk up to whoever you want, and move on when you feel like it. Over four hours you’ll talk with a dozen people instead of the seven at your table.
There’s plenty to eat and drink — a full dinner, not passed canapés
There are places to sit
You can arrive later and leave earlier — the format allows for it
Who’s in the room
Among the guests are the people who support WEIRA professionally:
Family and immigration attorneys
Career coaches
Local business owners
Therapists and counselors
Financial advisors
WEIRA volunteers and guests from past years
120 guests in all — a room where you’ll actually get to talk and remember people, rather than disappear into a crowd.
An evening worth dressing up for
Flowers, candles, decor in lavender and lilac — the colors of the WEIRA butterfly. This is the occasion to finally wear the dress that’s been hanging in your closet. There aren’t many evenings like this in the Valley, and every one of them counts.
Colors of the evening
The colors are a suggestion, not a requirement. Dress code: elegant evening attire
Silent auction and raffle
About 20 lots stay on display all evening. You walk up, take a look and place your bid on paper — there’s no bidding out loud and no auctioneer with a gavel. Winners are announced at the end of the night.
What’s on offer
Travel
Two nights in a three-bedroom house near Yosemite · three nights at Northstar Village
Art and jewelry
A painting by a woman from WEIRA’s programs · handmade minakari · a hand-painted purse and silk scarf
Professional services
Financial strategy planning plus a year of service · career coaching, three sessions
Experiences
A winery tour and tasting for ten · a chef’s dinner · a scenic flight · a yacht trip
Beauty and wellness
Five in-home massage sessions · a Reboot Floating Spa gift certificate · hypnotherapy
Entertainment
A.C.T. theater tickets · VIP jazz festival tickets · San Jose Jazz Club membership
And more — you’ll see the full list in the room.
Raffle
Tickets are $10. Everything that doesn’t sell at the auction goes into the raffle. Winners are announced at the end of the night.
Who’s inviting you?
Irina Popova
Founder and CEO of WEIRA · Certified Domestic Violence Support Specialist
I’d like to invite you to our first charity gala, “Finding Your Wings.” We’re a young organization. In three and a half years, we’ve grown to 71 volunteers and handled 465 cases with virtually no funding. This gala is an opportunity to meet new people and show that behind every case is a person determined to help.
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We want to give you an unforgettable evening and start a great tradition. I can’t wait to share this evening with you. See you in San Mateo.
Irina Popova
WEIRA — Women’s Empowerment and Immigrant Support Association — is a Northern California-based nonprofit that supports women from Eastern Europe and Central Asia who have experienced domestic violence, difficult divorces, recent immigration, and job loss.
Where the money goes
Legal, emotional and career support for women — free of charge
462
crisis inquiries handled
7,158
hours of personal support
71
volunteers
19
California counties
35
months of operations
WEIRA — Women’s Empowerment Immigrant Resource Association — is a Northern California nonprofit supporting women from Eastern Europe and Central Asia in crisis: domestic violence, difficult divorces, recent immigration and job loss. Some of our volunteers are women WEIRA helped first.
Bring someone with you
Bring your partner, your friends, your colleagues. This is the kind of occasion worth getting dressed up for, rather than just going out to dinner somewhere on a Saturday. And a good evening is better when there’s someone to talk it over with on the way home.
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You can buy all the tickets in one order. You don’t have to arrive together — you’ll find each other in the room.
Irina Popova
Founder and CEO of WEIRA · Certified Domestic Violence Support Specialist
Questions about the evening — write or call, and I’ll answer you myself.
+1 (916) 358-8970