Holiday Heroes Celebrates the magic of the season of giving at San Francisco’s Oracle Park

The iconic stadium was transformed into an activity filled holiday wonderland for local bay area families who came together to support and sponsor more than 400 underserved children. Guests, young and old, from all backgrounds, mixed and mingled with beloved sports heroes including Misty Copeland, Patrick Willis, Danielle Slaton, Gabe Kapler, and other celebrity and sports hero headliners. 

The magic of giving brought Holiday Heroes benefitting the Wender Weis Foundation for Children (WWFC) to Oracle Park on December 12, 2023 while raising much-needed funds for underserved children and families this holiday season. 

“This celebration marks the 26th year of organizing our signature events, including Holiday Heroes for the great communities of the San Francisco Bay Area.” – Amy Wender, Founder and President of WWFC 

WWFC presented their prestigious Inspiration Award to Misty Copeland, Principal Ballet Dancer with American Ballet Theatre, Producer, Actor and Community Activist, while Sydney Hubbard received the Youth Inspiration Award for her work with local youth. 

Guests at Holiday Heroes enjoyed an array of activities including an interactive lounge on the field hosted by DIRECTV, holiday arts and crafts, cookie decorating, face painting, stuffing animals, photo trading cards with Bruce Bolt, a gigantic 100-foot slide, s’mores on the field, a teen lounge for ages 12 – 17, and more. 

The on-field VIP event experience for sponsors and donors began with all VIP ticket holders receiving early entry into the ballpark with first access to all holiday activities including a cocktail and caviar lounge hosted by The Caviar Co. on the field. For higher level donors, they received exclusive “Heroes Club,” access where guests enjoy epicurean bites and bevvies, exclusive photo opportunities with sports heroes and celebs while Misty Copeland’s new film FLOWER debuted on the big screen of Oracle Park. Our beloved Gabe Kapler hosted the dugout with holiday story time and selfies for all of the kids, and adults! 

“Our mission each season is to create moments of wonder that spark a lifetime of possibilities for local children and their families as we turn Oracle Park into a holiday wonderland for guests from all backgrounds, including the more than 400 underserved children and their families who attended as our special, sponsored guests.  For some families, Holiday Heroes is their only holiday celebration of the season, and the gifts they receive at the event will be their only holiday presents,” said Wender.

“It was a heartwarming and inclusive experience for guests from all backgrounds again this season. We look forward to sharing not only Holiday Heroes but our other happenings with the community as we launch our 2024 community giving partnerships and campaigns.” said Amy Wender. “These event experiences allow us to share our life-time legacy gifts with the local San Francisco Bay Area community and are the foundation of WWFC. We have been honored with the naming of the Wender Weis Foundation for Children’s room on the bone marrow transplant unit for kids undergoing bone and marrow transplants at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, along with the inclusive fitness zone with the San Francisco 49ers Foundation in East Palo Alto, refurbishing of the basketball courts with the Warriors Community Foundation in South San Francisco and Chinatown, and being an initial funder and partner of the music therapy program at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, to name a few.”