Rob Giardinelli
Raising $2.6 Million For CASA Of Travis County, The Event Is A Huge Success
By Rob Giardinelli Photography by David Truong and Vanessa Joy
THE SCENE: The JW Marriott in Austin was the night for one of the capital city’s most anticipated, successful, and impactful fundraising events of the spring season. Over 800 of the area’s most notable community leaders, advocates, sociables, and philanthropists turned out for the CASABlanca 2026: Where Futures Take Root Gala. Benefiting CASA of Travis County, the night featured touching tributes, an epic live auction, and a dazzling after-party, resulting in the organization’s most successful event yet.
THE VIBE: The black-tie crowd featured patrons donning an eclectic array of elegant looks. Looking around the room, one could find traditional formal attire that seamlessly blended with patrons wearing bright colors, metallics, and prints. The result was a festive, welcoming environment for all who attended.
From the moment guests arrived at the JW Marriott, they knew they were in for a very special evening. Revelers were guided into a formal check-in room, where they were greeted with champagne and volunteers in their favorite black-tie looks, keeping in line with the evening. This easily allowed partygoers to get into the spirit of giving before taking an escalator up to the fourth floor for the first part of the evening.
After ascending the escalators, the crowd engaged in a vibrant and lively cocktail hour in the JW Marriott Ballroom Foyer. As guests sipped their favorite spirits, they mingled around the room, connecting with old friends and making new ones. Others could be seen perusing the impressive lot of silent auction items and previewing the exquisitely curated package of live auction items that would be up for bid later in the evening.
The action then moved into the JW Marriott Ballroom for the main program. Once guests were seated, they began dining on delectable, multi-course meals where emcee KEYE-TV host of We Are Austin, Trevor Scott, kept the night moving at a fun, brisk pace. While being treated to words by event and organization leaders, thanking them for being a part of such a special evening. After the event leaders’ remarks, diners had the opportunity to socialize during dinner before the next part of the evening began.
Following a series of touching testimonial videos highlighting the impactful, life-changing work CASA of Travis County does to positively change the lives of the children they serve came a lively and raucous live auction and fund-a-need. Heath Hale of Cowboy Auctioneer kept the crowd energy up and the fundraising totals going ever higher as paddles went up at a feverish pace for once-in-a-lifetime experiences. The top auction item of the night was an Elite Dining Experience with John Carver & Friends that sold twice for an eye-popping $200,000 each.
With the energy of the crowd at a feverish level after the auction, the fun continued back where the night started in the JW Marriott Ballroom Foyer for a lively after-party. Revelers continued the party well into the evening, playing their favorite casino games, posing for photos in front of a vibrant CASA installation as a keepsake, and dancing the night away to the music.
THE NON-PROFIT: CASABlanca 2026: Where Futures Take Root, chaired by Anna Thompson and Audrey Romano, raised a record-breaking $2.6 million for CASA Travis County. Proceeds raised from the event will go towards providing services and training to the all-volunteer network of CASA advocates in Travis County. The mission of the organization was best summed by CEO Emily Rudenick LeBlanc as she spoke during the CASABlanca Gala Program, “Here in Travis County, CASA is appointed to every single child who enters the system. That means no child waits for an advocate, which is rare and something truly extraordinary.”
