Monica Kaufman Pearson hosts the annual Captain Planet Foundation Gala

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - The Captain Planet Foundation raised over $650,000 at their annual gala Saturday night.

The Gala was held at Flourish Atlanta and was hosted by our very own Atlanta News First’s One on One host, Monica Kaufman Pearson.

Monica Pearson on Saturday, March 18, 2023 in Atlanta. (Todd Kirkland/AP Images for The Captain... — Monica Pearson on Saturday, March 18, 2023 in Atlanta. (Todd Kirkland/AP Images for The Captain Planet Foundation)(Todd Kirkland | AP Images for The Captain Planet Foundation)

The money raised is to support the foundation’s worldwide educational programming and grant-making efforts to engage and empower young people to be problem solvers for the planet.

They held silent auctions during cocktail hour which featured 14 private chef’s table experiences from some of Atlanta’s most treasured Chefs. The live auction was hosted by Billy Harris and items like a week in the French Riviera, a stay at Francis Ford Coppola’s luxury rainforest resort in Belize and a getaway to Ted Turner’s Vermejo property were available as well as other great items.

In addition, there were some honorees, that received rewards such as Louie Schwartzberg, an award-winning filmmaker and fierce advocate for the environment. He was honored with the Superhero for Earth Award for his dedication to creating works that have a positive effect on the future of the planet. As well as Climate Justice Activist, Xiye Bastida was honored as well with the Young Superhero for Earth Award for her work organizing Fridays For Future NYC and helping mobilize up to 300,000 people in the 2019 climate strikes.

There were over 450 guests in attendance which included country music singer and rapper Blanco Brown, NFL Pro Bowler Ovie Mughelli, Lili Buffett, Laura Turner Seydel, designer Robert Comstock, Reverend Dr. Gerald Durley, Regional Administrator EPA Region 4 Daniel Blackman, Humans of New York’s Brandon Stanton and Emerson Collective’s Jamie Van Leeuwen.

The Captain Planet Foundation has been in business for over 31 years and is a non-profit organization that empowers youth to be change-makers for the environment.

The foundation has funded more than 3600 hands-on environmental education projects with schools and nonprofits all over the United States and internationally.

To learn more about Captain Planet Foundation, please visit www.CaptainPlanetFoundation.org.