Celebrate the Plate Host Information
Become a Host
Hosting is a wonderful opportunity to get involved with Akron Children’s while having fun with friends. All proceeds go directly back to the hospital, enabling the Women’s Board to fund new initiatives and support patient care.
The 11th annual Celebrate the Plate fundraiser will be a 10-week affair spanning from April 1st through June14th. Gracious hosts will plan their desired event (dinner, porch party, tennis round robin, wine and cheese tasting, etc.) on their chosen date, time and venue. It is the host’s decision to hold an open or closed event, and all money generated from the party goes directly back to Akron Children’s.
As a host, you commit to having a party that will raise funds to benefit Akron Children’s. You determine the theme and type of party, the time and location, and the invite list. Guests may attend the party by purchasing a ticket or donating. We ask that each host commit to a minimum $1,000 donation.
This minimum donation can be fully paid by the host OR split among the guests. For example, Jane Doe is hosting a tennis round-robin. On her invite, she has listed a suggested $100 player’s fee, and any additional donation will be accepted. The fee determined by the host will go towards the minimum donation requirement. Therefore, Jane will meet her $1,000 minimum donation with just 10 players. Likewise, if Jane decided to host 20 players at the event, she would have raised $2,000 for Akron Children’s.
The CTP committee will provide a QR code and donation box for each host. The QR code is simple to use and party guests can either purchase tickets or donate directly to Akron Children’s. This eliminates work for you! Attendees can also donate at the event by check or cash. In these instances, the host will agree to record the donations including name, address, check, or cash to enable tax letters to be generated. The donation boxes will be collected by a Celebrate the Plate committee member following each event.
One additional requirement of each host is to play a short highlight video featuring Akron Children’s CEO Chris Gessner and the presenting event sponsor.
An Open party will accept RSVPs from the Celebrate the Plate’s mailed invitation. For example, John Smith is hosting a themed dinner party. He has room for 16 guests. Since this is an open party, John Smith’s event will be listed in our Celebrate the Plate invitation that will be mailed in March. When John Smith’s party fills up with 16 guests, the party will be closed to further attendees. John Smith can also provide a list of guests that he would like to invite as part of his allowable seats.
A closed party is restricted by space, type and number of attendees; for example, tennis or pickleball round robins, Euchre or bowling party. The guest lists for these parties are limited due to venue and are determined by the host. The event will be included in our mailed invitations, however, online registration for guests will be closed. Guests still have the opportunity to make donations online.
Tickets will be sold for open events by reservation only. Invitations will be sent out in March and invitees will use a QR code to purchase tickets online. Attendees will be notified of the event details and destination prior to the event.
The Celebrate the Plate Committee is here to help! Feel free to contact our Chair, Kelly Clarke, at wbcelebratetheplate@gmail.com to discuss becoming a host or with any questions.
Once you make the commitment to host an event, our 2026 Host Coordinator, Neelam Ahmad, will assist you throughout the process. If needed, she can help determine the type of party, menu planning, and be a liaison for your event.
