The 10th annual Fiesta de Coronado, a signature fundraiser for the Rick and Katie Moore Foundation (RKMF), took place on September 13 at the historic Hansen Mansion. As every year, the event brought together the Coronado community with a powerful purpose: to make a meaningful difference for those in need.

Founded in 2004, the RKMF has cultivated a culture of giving, beginning with its early years, which focused on funding other nonprofits. “For the first 10 years, we basically gave grants to other non-profits,” explained co-founder Rick Moore. Over time, the foundation expanded its services with the Serve4Good program, helping with food drives, school beautification, and addressing the needs of military families. Moore shared, “In addition to the money we had funded to our foundation, we began accepting donations from others.” In 2018, the RKMF sought to cancel its private foundation status to become a public charity, and it has been growing continuously since then.

Reflecting on how Fiesta de Coronado started, Moore recalled, “We held our first Fiesta de Coronado in 2015. As I mentioned, we have a history of helping other non-profits, and in 2014, we were helping fund a building project for one of the organizations we support. It was a major project, costing approximately $800,000, so I thought we could help fund it by hosting a party-type event in our backyard and potentially raise $5,000 to $10,000. I was the chef, and the whole family volunteered for various jobs.”

The modest initial event quickly surpassed expectations, raising over $22,000. At the end of the event, one of the attendees asked if she could purchase something to show her support. “We didn’t have anything to sell, so she asked if she could buy one of my recipes,” Moore explained. “After selling that recipe, I decided to ask others if they would like to donate.” From there, the idea snowballed, and now the event features a large auction each year, inspired by those humble beginnings.

This year’s Fiesta de Coronado selected the San Diego Rescue Mission as its beneficiary. The San Diego Rescue Mission is a local nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing one of San Diego’s most pressing issues: homelessness. Moore noted, “The Fiesta de Coronado is our annual fundraiser. In addition to service programs and grant-giving, the RKMF selects one nonprofit organization each year to be the beneficiary of the event. It’s a big thing for our beneficiaries.”

The foundation has supported the San Diego Rescue Mission before, and Moore highlighted, “The San Diego Rescue Mission will be the first non-profit that we will have sponsored a second time since starting the annual Fiesta. Our board believes that the homeless in San Diego are a key issue.” The foundation previously raised over $110,000 for the Mission in 2022.

This year’s event commenced at 5:30 p.m. with music by Ciera Fernandez, followed by a cocktail hour, silent auction, and a gourmet meal from Executive Chef David Bland. During dessert, San Diego Rescue Mission Director Donnie Dee addressed the guests, before auctioneer Greg Wingard led the live auction. Moore stated, “The goal for this year’s Fiesta was $150,000, and it will be very important to the building of the shelter.”

The results exceeded expectations yet again. “The event was very successful,” Moore told me. “One hundred fifty-one guests raised a final total of over $165,000. Chef David Bland provided a magnificent meal, live and silent auction items were eagerly purchased, and $100,000 in pure donations were gathered. Given that the Rick and Katie Moore Foundation uses volunteers for everything except party rentals, the total costs were $6,000, leaving 96% to help the cause of helping the homeless.”

Moore concluded, “Part of our mission is not only to help those in need, but also to provide the opportunity for those who volunteer their services or give donations. Not all donations go to Coronado non-profits, but a majority of the Fiesta attendees are from Coronado. So, it’s a win-win for the recipients and the volunteers/donors.”

Fiesta de Coronado remains a testament to the impact of compassionate community engagement and the legacy of the Rick and Katie Moore Foundation. Be on the lookout next year when the RKMF announces its next event location and details; another night that is sure to raise awareness and funds for a worthy cause.

VOL. 115, NO. 41 – Oct. 8, 2025