It’s the happiest time of year for IFCS as we prepare for our annual Nibbles & Sips fundraising gala.
For over a decade, the community has gathered for a hoot of a good time, complete with food and beverage tasting, auction games, and a live and silent auction. The benefit? Keeping IFCS’ life-changing services available for another year.
The 2025 event is hosted at Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center on February 22, 2025. This year, dozens of local wine, beer, spirit, and food vendors will gather to offer an assortment of samples to guests. Meanwhile, volunteers sell opportunities to win prime Broncos football seats via the Heads or Tails game, and loud pops are heard from the Balloon Pop game, where lucky guests are winning surprises hidden in bouquets of balloons. In the background, lively music by Jazz Hands Foundation Band can be heard from the ballroom.
There is room for all levels of giving at Nibbles and Sips, from volunteering to ensure the night runs smoothly, to hosting a table of 10 guests; to event sponsorship, to donations of live and silent auction items.
Every year, many of the same supporters (as well as many new) come out for this fun night of fine beverage and food tasting, inspiration, and giving.
Table Captain Bill Clayton
Meet Table Captain Bill Clayton, whose support of IFCS goes back to the founding of Inter-Faith Task Force (original name). Bill was a neighbor and family friend of IFCS’ founder, Maida Navis, and often participated in original fundraising efforts like the Golden Mile walk.
“Maida Navis’ notion was that people thought of Arapahoe county as being pretty affluent,” Bill says. “In the 1960s, Englewood was the emerging suburb. It was thought that there weren’t any people who were struggling, but that’s just not the case. There are people who struggle in all areas of life.”
When Bill returned to Englewood after many years building and running Disney World’s original restaurants in the 60s and 70s, his philanthropic efforts toward IFCS took off. Bill joined the Board of Directors in the early 90s, and even hired IFCS’ current Executive Director in 1997.
IFCS has remained near and dear to Bill’s heart to this day. He and his wife Joan take time every year serving as Table Captains for the Nibbles & Sips event; they gather 10 community members who join them at their table to learn about and support IFCS’ mission.
“I feel it’s part of my obligation to the community,” Bill says. “It’s not simply philanthropy or volunteer participation, but part of my obligation is to reach out to other people in the community who aren’t aware of some of these needs, and it helps them become involved in a way that’s meaningful for them and also meaningful for the community and for the organization.”
Each year, Bill gathers a diverse group of community members to join his table, creating a guest list of current and former city officials, doctors, and other compassionate people with the ability to give.
“I tell people this is the most fun charitable event in the city,” Bill says. “They’re going to come and they’re going to have a good time. They’re going to eat some interesting food, have a few alcoholic beverages and enjoy themselves. There’s going to be a great silent auction, and then they should bring a bag of Kleenex because they’re going to hear stories about struggle and difficulty and success, and then they’re going to want to take out their checkbook. I invite people, and I tell them I’ll pay for the table, but I want them to be open minded about the idea of Neighbors Helping Neighbors.”
Craig Hospital, Platinum Sponsor
Craig Hospital has a long history with IFCS and an even longer history in the city of Englewood. The hospital has partnered with IFCS almost all 61 years we’ve been incorporated, and even helped garner community support to build our building. The hospital has also sponsored Nibbles & Sips since its inception 20 years ago.
“As a community organization, Craig Hospital is proud to sponsor IFCS because of their profound commitment to strengthening our local community,” says Mary Kelloff, Craig Hospital Director of Outpatient Nursing Services. “IFCS has been alleviating hunger, supporting low-income families, and providing critical basic human services that make a tangible difference in people’s lives.”
This year, the hospital is a Platinum Sponsor, meaning it contributed $5,000 to the event, and as a result will receive advertising and 10 guest spots. For the last two years, Mary, who also serves as an IFCS Board Director, has organized the hospital’s attendance.
“[The 2024 Craig Hospital attendees] were very moved by the mission of IFCS,” Mary said. “One of the people who went said it feels good to spend your money on things that you want, and that money is donated and going to a good cause. They thought it was a really great event.”
When asked why Craig Hospital chooses to support IFCS, Mary shared the following:
- Community Impact: IFCS works tirelessly to improve our community one family at a time, focusing on preventing homelessness and addressing hunger through comprehensive support programs in the Englewood community. This aligns perfectly with Craig Hospital’s mission of supporting local residents, as the hospital itself is located just south of Denver in Englewood.
- Long-standing Commitment: IFCS has demonstrated remarkable resilience through their extensive network of community organizations, corporations, and foundation grants. Their diverse funding partners underscore their ability to build strong community connections.
- Collaborative Approach: Craig Hospital values collaborative partnerships, which mirrors IFCS’s approach of engaging with local businesses, community organizations, and volunteers to create sustainable solutions for those facing economic challenges. The Nibbles & Sips fundraising gala is a prime example of how IFCS brings the community together to support critical hunger alleviation efforts.
When Mary became a board director at IFCS, she was looking for an opportunity to become involved with the community on a deeper level, outside of the hospital. She mentioned that witnessing IFCS’ mission in action gave her a clearer understanding of the challenges her patients might face after discharge.
“I really have been profoundly moved by the work IFCS has done for the Englewood Community, inclusive of some of the patients Craig has served and then discharged,” Mary said. “For me, that has been really rewarding, outside of just being an employee at Craig but as a human being, it’s awesome to see that there’s just so many people who are driven by the mission of alleviating hunger and doing good.”
Mary is excited to share her own passion for healing the community when attending Nibbles & Sips for the first time this year.
“I am looking forward to talking to people and promoting why IFCS is really cool and really increase exposure and awareness for what we do to maybe draw out some more dollars from people,” Mary said. “I think about what’s going to win my heart over and it’s the things like being culturally sensitive and anticipating the needs. I’m excited for the opportunity to network and promote IFCS.”
Whether through volunteering, gathering a table of attendees, providing event sponsorship, or donating auction items, every contribution to the Nibbles & Sips event plays a role in creating collective impact in the community. Each act of support builds upon the others, strengthening the services of IFCS and making positive change not just possible, but sustainable. We hope to see you at the 2025 Nibbles & Sips event!
