In 1993, Lafayette was still a sleepy town without many services, so when Starbucks opened on the corner of Mt. Diablo Blvd. and Lafeyette Cir., it was a big deal. Having selected the local, Lafayette-based The Taylor Family Foundation (TTFF) as their grand opening partner, Elaine sat outside on a rainy evening with a table and cash box collecting $3 from people who wanted to sample the then-new Starbucks coffee. All funds raised supported the foundation’s mission to support kids with HIV/AIDS at Children’s Hospital, Oakland by funding programs, activities and day trips that allowed them to have some semblance of normalcy in their otherwise chaotic lives. 

While manning the table, Gregg Perloff, president of Bill Graham Presents, was driving by. He spotted Elaine and stopped to see what she was up to. Perloff and Elaine both had kids at the same Lafayette preschool and he was surprised to see her out collecting money for coffee samples. Although he knew about her work and had attended the fundraisers at the Taylor’s home, the meeting gave the two the opportunity to talk more in-depth about the children in the Pediatric HIV/AIDS program at Children’s Hospital, Oakland, some of whom had no family capable or willing to care for them. Perloff made a donation, which ended up doubling the take for the day. But more importantly, he made a promise to Elaine to help if ever he could.  

The opportunity arose when Barbra Streisand came to San Jose the following June. Perloff put Elaine in touch with the Streisand Foundation, which was giving select charities blocks of tickets. Each ticket had to be sold for $1000, representing a $650 profit for the charity. Although a small fish in an enormous pond of Northern California non-profit organizations, the Streisand Foundation was won over by Elaine’s commitment to making sure that every dollar raised went towards kids with HIV/AIDS. TTFF joined the ranks of other AIDS foundations and was granted the tickets. Thanks in part to Public Service Spots granted by KGO-TV, who helped market the charity tickets, TTFF raised $130,000.