What You Need To Know For #StoneSoup2026

Stone Soup is TOMORROW, and we could not be more excited. This year's gala is focused on families with children experiencing homelessness and the impact it has on a child's education, as well as updates from across our agency. Our evening will include a world-class dinner, powerful speeches, awards, a raffle, and much more. You definitely won't want to miss it!

Whether this is your first time joining us at Stone Soup or you've been with us from the start, we wanted to highlight a few event details to improve your guest experience and ensure that you do not miss out on anything during our time together. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to reach out to Joan Penney via email at: joanpenney@housinghope.org

Location

Stone Soup is held at the Tulalip Resort Casino in the Orca Ballroom. Entry to the event is primarily through the south west side of the building and has an abundance of parking available (see below).

📍10200 Quil Ceda Blvd, Tulalip, WA 98271

Parking

Parking is available to all guests for free. Located just off of I-5, we recommend using the southwest parking lot for quick easy access to the event.

Check-In

Check-In begins at 5:30pm. When you arrive, please make your way to the check-in desks located in the room just south of the primary ballroom. We will have multiple check-in stations available, divided up by last name. A help desk will also be located in the same room for any questions or general assistance.

Program & Dinner Timing

Doors to the main ballroom will open around 6:00pm. Our program will begin at roughly 6:15pm, with dinner starting shortly after.

Photo Booth

New for 2026! We will have a free photo booth available for all guests during the event, complete with props so that you can create unique memories of your time at Stone Soup. Make sure to grab your friends and stop by the photo booth in the main hall during your time at Stone Soup for a memorable keepsake for you to take home with you.

Raffle

Our raffle is back for 2026! This year we are raffling off two prizes; a Tulalip Resort Experience including a 1-night stay and a spa package, and two Alaska Airlines Tickets. Raffle tickets may be purchased during the event from one of our designated raffle stations or from our roaming raffle groups. Each ticket enters you to win one of the prizes of your choice, and multiple tickets may be entered into either drawing to increase your chance of winning.

Winners must be present at the end of the event to win. Last call to purchase tickets will be approximately at 7:30pm.

Keynote Speaker

Our 2026 Keynote Speaker is Francisco Gonzalez Robles.

Francisco was born and raised in El Salvador. He graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in psychology and has built a career in social services and education. Francisco began his career as a bilingual youth counselor for a non-profit organization, where he supported refugees and high-risk populations. He later transitioned to Seattle Public Schools, providing instructional support to multilingual learners. For the past five years, Francisco has dedicated his work to supporting students experiencing homelessness, ensuring they receive educational rights and services under the Federal McKinney-Vento program. Currently serving as the McKinney-Vento Coordinator at Edmonds School District, Francisco focuses on expanding resources and community partnerships to meet the diverse needs of his students, including academic support, food security, housing, health and wellness, and transportation.

Donations

There will be a QR code on your program at your seat. You can use it to donate on-line through your phone. We also can take checks, pledges, or other forms of payment. Information on these options can be found at your table in the Table Captain Envelope.

Dietary Restrictions & Allergies

Guests should have already selected their dinner of choice prior to night of the event. If you did not order a meal, we defaulted your entrée to the Vegan Risotto.

If you are gluten or dairy intolerant, please make sure that you have ordered and are served the Garden Risotto to avoid issues. If you have other allergies and are concerned about your meal choice, please talk to your server for guidance.

Dinner & Drink Tickets

Your entrée and drink tickets can be found in with your name tag which you will receive when you check in. If you would like to order more beverages, please know that the stations will take debit cards or cash.

Thank You Sponsors!

We wanted to take a moment to thank each and every one of our corporate and individual sponsors for Stone Soup 2026. Your sponsorships are vital to the event's success and our ability to produce such fundraisers with confidence and stability. This year's event was one for the record books, with almost a 20% increase in sponsorship from 2025. We do not take this support for granted, and are truly humbled by the commitment from so many to the mission we all hold so near and dear to our hearts.