Forced to hold its annual fundraiser in late August because of a controversy surrounding the event, the Homeless Coalition of Palm Beach County still managed to raise more than $450,000 at the annual Mayors' Ball.
“Palm Beach County showed up, not for politics, but for people,” Alexandria Ayala-Long, the coalition’s executive director, told attendees during the event. “Homelessness is not political, and no single organization or elected official can solve it alone. It takes an entire community working together.”
Ayala-Long said the gala drew a full crowd but fell short of its $500,000 fundraising goal, as she had predicted this summer. Still, the $450,000 raised made it one of the more successful Mayors' Balls held in recent years. It surpassed
the $345,000 raised in 2025.
This year's event had to contend with a departure from the norm in scheduling, plus a fair amount of what Ayala-Long called "drama."
County Mayor Sara Baxter unsuccessfully urged fellow commissioners to defund the coalition, prompting it to delay scheduling the Mayors’ Ball until its funding status was resolved.
The dispute was settled after Baxter backed off her effort to remove county funding for the coalition. She did so after it was clear she did not have the votes to defund the agency.
By then, however, it was too late to stage the gala during the winter social season, when it normally takes place to take advantage of the presence of deep-pocketed donors in the area. Instead, the Mayors' Ball was held on Aug. 29 at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens.
Still, Baxter wanted nothing to do with the event, marking the first time that the county mayor had boycotted the fundraising affair. County Vice Mayor Marci Woodward accepted an invitation to be its host.
The coalition raises funds for agencies like The Lord’s Place and Adopt-A-Family to fight homelessness.
Despite the issues with Baxter, Ayala-Long said she was pleased with the amount raised.
“There was a lot of drama we had to contend with,” she said in an interview with The Palm Beach, “but the community came together to support an important cause.”
Community support outweighs political drama
Event organizers raised money through tickets, sponsorships, silent and live auctions, sponsor activations and donations. The “Boots & Bourbon” theme featured country artist Jordan Oaks and a bourbon tasting bar, sponsored by Verdex Construction.
“The Mayors' Ball remains important because it represents something much bigger than a single evening. It sparks conversation, awareness, generosity and action — while proving year after year that meaningful change is driven not by any one individual, but by a compassionate community willing to come together and support those who need it most," Ayala-Long said.
More than 1,500 individuals are experiencing homelessness in Palm Beach County, according to the county’s most recent annual count. Roughly two-thirds of those are living unsheltered — in cars, on sidewalks or in parks.
Donations to the coalition can be made through its website at homelesscoalitionpbc.org.
Mike Diamond is a journalist atThe Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He covers Palm Beach County government. You can reach him at mdiamond@pbpost.com. Help support local journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Mayors’ Ball nets $450,000 after county funding dispute | Exclusive
