Since its founding late in 2007, the Illumination Foundation’s role in helping people who experience homelessness has been well-known among those with a keen interest in Orange County social issues. Others, however, might not have had a clear picture of what the nonprofit does.
On Sunday, the organization announced it has rebranded itself with a name that includes its mission: Illumination Health + Home.
Mike Love, John Stamos and (possibly Brian Eichenberger ) perform as the Beach Boys play as The Illumination Foundation held its annual Chef’s Table event to raise money for housing and health care for the homeless on April 4, 2025 at the Disney Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Poja Bhalla CEO of The Illumination Foundation speaks during its annual Chef’s Table event to raise money for housing and health care for the homeless on April 4, 2025 at the Disney Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Rika Shah stands with her husband Dr. Manu Shah as they are recognized for their contributions to the Illumination Foundation at its annual Chef’s Table event to raise money for housing and health care for the homeless on April 4, 2025 at the Disney Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Billy Stamos,7, holds the trophy presented to his parents John and Caitlin as Pooja Bhalla looks on. The Illumination Foundation held its annual Chef’s Table event to raise money for housing and health care for the homeless on April 4, 2025 at the Disney Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
The Illumination Foundation event chairperson Karen Jordan speaks at the annual Chef’s Table event to raise money for housing and health care for the homeless on April 4, 2025 at the Disney Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
John Stamos with his wife Caitlin and their son Billy. The Illumination Foundation held its annual Chef’s Table event to raise money for housing and health care for the homeless on April 4, 2025 at the Disney Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
John Stamos plays with the Beach Boys as The Illumination Foundation held its annual Chef’s Table event to raise money for housing and health care for the homeless on April 4, 2025 at the Disney Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
The Beach Boys Mike Love sings while John Stamos plays the guitar. The Illumination Foundation held its annual Chef’s Table event to raise money for housing and health care for the homeless on April 4, 2025 at the Disney Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
The Beach Boys Christian Love, Mike Love, and John Stamos plays the guitar. The Illumination Foundation held its annual Chef’s Table event to raise money for housing and health care for the homeless on April 4, 2025 at the Disney Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
John Stamos sings along with the Beach Boys as the Illumination Foundation held its annual Chef’s Table event to raise money for housing and health care for the homeless on April 4, 2025 at the Disney Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
John Stamos plays with the Beach Boys as The Illumination Foundation held its annual Chef’s Table event to raise money for housing and health care for the homeless on April 4, 2025 at the Disney Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
(l-r) Rup, Mona, Rika, Manu, Raj and Sona Shah. The Shah family received recognition for their contributions during the Illumination Foundation annual Chef’s Table event to raise money for housing and health care for the homeless on April 4, 2025 at the Disney Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Rika Shah stands with her husband Dr. Manu Shah as they are recognized for their contributions to The Illumination Foundation during its annual Chef’s Table event to raise money for housing and health care for the homeless on April 4, 2025 at the Disney Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Pooja Bhalla, right, hands a trophy to Billy Stamos,7, as his parents John and Caitlin look on. The Illumination Foundation held its annual Chef’s Table event to raise money for housing and health care for the homeless on April 4, 2025 at the Disney Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Billy Stamos,7, holds the award presented to his parents John and Caitlin. The Illumination Foundation held its annual Chef’s Table event to raise money for housing and health care for the homeless on April 4, 2025 at the Disney Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
The Beach Boys Mike Love sings while John Stamos plays the guitar. The Illumination Foundation held its annual Chef’s Table event to raise money for housing and health care for the homeless on April 4, 2025 at the Disney Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
The Beach Boys Mike Love sings while John Stamos plays the guitar. The Illumination Foundation held its annual Chef’s Table event to raise money for housing and health care for the homeless on April 4, 2025 at the Disney Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
(L-r) Jill Kurlfink, Caitlin and John Stamos, their son Billy, Alaina Stamos, Janeen Stamos and Maddy Rehling. The Illumination Foundation held its annual Chef’s Table event to raise money for housing and health care for the homeless on April 4, 2025 at the Disney Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
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Mike Love, John Stamos and (possibly Brian Eichenberger ) perform as the Beach Boys play as The Illumination Foundation held its annual Chef’s Table event to raise money for housing and health care for the homeless on April 4, 2025 at the Disney Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
CEO Pooja Bhalla unveiled the name and a new logo at the group’s 12th annual Chef’s Table event in front of a crowd of 390 at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa on a night that was capped off by a performance by the Beach Boys, including actor John Stamos.
Stamos and his wife Caitlin – joined by their son Billy – and Manu and Rika Shah were honored during the dinner for their contributions to the organization. Stamos, an Orange County native who attended Kennedy High in La Palma, joked that he’d always thought the Chef’s Table event would be a great time for a Beach Boys performance, but it took him being honored to make it happen.
As Bhalla discussed the move to Illumination Health + Home, she discussed the organization’s mission to “disrupt the cycle of homelessness” and to provide access to health care for those in need.
One of its key accomplishments in 2024 was the opening of the Children and Families Recuperative Care Center, a home in Santa Ana that provides homeless sick children and their families housing while the kids receive medical care.
