LA Dream Center Honors Tony Robbins and LA Wildfire Heroes at Night of Dreams Gala

Last night, the Los Angeles Dream Center hosted its annual Night of Dreams Gala at the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel, bringing together community leaders, philanthropists, and celebrities to celebrate resilience, generosity, and hope. The evening honored internationally renowned philanthropist Tony Robbins and recognized heroes who supported families impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires. Celebrities in attendance included Angie Everhart, Selling Sunset’s Amanda Lynn, and Yellowstone’sMichael Nouri, among many others.

Country artist Coffey Anderson opened the evening, singing the National Anthem, and media personalities Jason Kennedy and Ellen K made opening remarks as co-hosts and guided guests throughout the impactful program.

Grammy-nominated recording artist Aloe Blacc energized the room with two powerhouse performances, followed by an emotional rendition of “One Moment in Time” from singer Vonzell Solomon.

One of the evening’s most moving moments was the “Heroes Circle” Award Presentation, introduced by Dream Center co-founders Pastors Matthew and Caroline Barnett. Honorees included Chefs Andrew & Lauren Gruel,iHeartMedia, Revell with a Cause, & Justin Turner Foundation, with heartfelt reflections shared by Linda “Peaches” Tavani.. Residents of the Dream Center also took the stage to share powerful testimonies about how their lives have been transformed through the organization’s programs.

The highlight of the night came when Pastor Barnett presented Tony Robbins with “The Dream Award.” Robbins inspired attendees with his vision for creating sustainable impact. 

“We have all these heroes on stage that helped during the wildfires, but the only reason we are all here and make it happen is because of the heroes like Matthew and Caroline Barnett, and all the volunteers at the Dream Center,” shared Robbins as he humbly accepted his honor. “I always say, its easy to talk a big game, if you want to know someone, watch how their feet, lips, energy, time, wallet, moves…they [Dream Center]  have been doing this for three decades, serving this city unselfishly, every single day. How can you not support that? I’m so grateful for all the work they do. While I appreciate the honor, I came tonight, so hopefully together we can continue to donate and support this organization.” 

Together with the Dream Center, Robbins announced the launch of the new Dream Center Magazine, a magazine to highlight philanthropic endeavors, in which Robbins was the magazine’s debut cover feature. Additionally, Robbins and Barnett revealed an expanded partnership with his 100 Billion Meals Challenge, where due to Robbins’ generosity, his million-dollar donation will not only go toward the Dream Center kitchen, but the 30,000 weekly meals served will count towards 100 Billion Meals Challenge, further amplifying efforts to combat hunger on a global scale.

Additionally, audience members participated in a lively fundraising auction, with opportunities to adopt a month of food distribution for $100,000, a $7,500 “Adopt a Bed” initiative, which represents the cost for one bed for one individual to live at the Dream Center for one year, covering the cost of all meals, education, program, and more. Robbins matched the number of beds donated, giving another $1 million. Additional items were auctioned off, including vacations to Mexico, a stay at Robbins’ retreat in Fiji, and more, led by auctioneer Mark Schustrin. A total of $2.8 million was raised and will all directly benefit the Dream Center programs.

The evening closed with a captivating performance of “We Are the World” featuring all guest artists, the Dream Center Choir, Journey cover band DSB, and viral sensation Angelica Nero, leaving the audience inspired and united in purpose.

“We feel so much love in this room, thank you everyone for being here tonight and sharing our passion,” shared Pastor Caroline, Co-Founder of the Dream Center. “When I see a room like this, I have so much hope for the future. The way that Dream Center got its name is initially, we were called LA International Church, but as guys were going through the program and lives were being transformed, they said, ‘You should call this place the Dream Center, because I’m dreaming again’. So that’s what you all are providing tonight, a chance for people to dream again or to dream for them, if they aren’t in a place to do so.” 

For over 30 years, the Los Angeles Dream Center has been dedicated to transforming lives and serving the underserved across LA. They have provided housing, meals, recovery programs, job training, and hope to thousands of individuals and families every week, and were a leading resource to those impacted by the LA wildfires earlier this year. 

For more information on the LA Dream Center, their programs, and how you can support, please visit www.dreamcenter.org.