Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi will speak at the Coast Cares Gala on Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Monterey Bay Aquarium to raise funds for Hope Services' disability programs.
The gala begins at 6:30 p.m. at 886 Cannery Row in Monterey. Tickets are $300. The evening opens with a cocktail hour and live music from the New Hope Band, an ensemble of musicians with developmental disabilities. Yamaguchi's talk is the featured event.
In an interview published Thursday, Sept. 10, by Monterey County NOW, Yamaguchi drew a connection between her own literacy-focused foundation and Hope Services' mission. "It's providing that encouragement and providing pathways for everyone, no matter what their abilities are, to reach their potential, and that looks different for everyone," Yamaguchi said. "… Communities are just stronger because of organizations like Hope Services."
Hope Services, founded in 1952, serves about 3,700 people and their families across nine Bay Area counties, according to its website. Its South District, directed by Sheryl Hagemann, covers Seaside, Monterey, Salinas, Santa Cruz and surrounding communities.
The gala aims to raise $300,000 to expand employment pathways, day programs and community services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, NBC Bay Area reported.
Yamaguchi, a Fremont native, won Olympic gold in women's figure skating in 1992 at age 20. She was the first Asian American woman to win a Winter Games gold medal and the first American woman to claim the figure skating title since Dorothy Hamill in 1976. After a decade of professional skating, she founded Kristi Yamaguchi's Always Dream in 1996 to promote early childhood literacy. In 2024, Mattel added Yamaguchi to its Inspiring Women Barbie series alongside figures including Dr. Jane Goodall and Maya Angelou.
She last visited Monterey in 2023 as an ambassador for the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament.
Hope Services was named Best Nonprofit in Silicon Valley by the San Jose Mercury News for the second consecutive year in 2026. For tickets or information, residents can call (408) 284-2850 or visit hopeservices.org.
Upcoming community events:
- Saturday, Sept. 12: Coast Cares Gala, 6:30 p.m., Monterey Bay Aquarium, 886 Cannery Row, Monterey. $300. hopeservices.org.
