November 2013
The House that Love Built® Gazette
A newsletter for those making a difference.
2013 Annual Home Away from Home Gala
On the evening of October 18th, 275 guests gathered at the Four Seasons Hotel San
Francisco to celebrate our 2013 Home Away from Home Gala. Guests sipped on libations
donated by the generous A to Z Wineworks and St. George's Spirits, then danced the night
away to music provided by the talented band, Pride & Joy.
In between rounds of bidding on amazing auction items such as trips to Italy and Hawaii,
guests were touched to meet Jim, Heather and their three sons, former guests of the Ronald
McDonald House of San Francisco with an incredible story to tell. On the night of the 18th, the
whole family took the stage, happy, healthy and grateful to have had a place like RMH-SF to
call their "home-away-from-home".
This year's Gala was a particularly special one, shattering all previous records. With the help
of our sponsors, guests and friends of the House, we were able to raise $320,600! This of
level success would not have been possible to achieve on our own. From everyone at RMHSF, we thank you for your unwavering commitment and compassion toward our cause.
Upcoming Community Events
Fall promises to be a busy and exciting time for the Ronald McDonald House of San
Francisco. Come and show your support while having fun and enjoying good company at any
of the following events taking place in the coming months. Please see links below for more
details.
November 11-14: Joe's Crab Shack: Joe's Crab Shack has joined forces with RMH-SF. In
addition to having great food and fun, when you present our flyer at Joe's they will donate 1020% of your check to the House!
November 19: "Sharks and Strikes" Bowling Tournament
Once a year, Sharks players trade in their jerseys and skates for bowling shirts and shoes to
raise money for charity. A relaxed, family-oriented fundraiser where all ages and abilities are
welcome, the Sharks Foundation's "Sharks & Strikes" bowling fundraiser allows Sharks fans
young and old to have fun while meeting some of their favorite Sharks players. As an added
bonus, prizes are given to the top team and individual bowlers. RMH-SF is proud to be this
year's selected charity.
December 6-8: ACN Fundraiser at HP Pavilion, San Jose
WE NEED A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS FOR 2013! ACN is an international company that sells
telecommunications equipment headquartered in Charlotte, NC. This year at the convention in San
Jose, volunteers will collect donations from enthusiastic ACN conference attendees who are
accustomed to giving to the local Ronald McDonald House. Past participants describe it as the
"wildest volunteer experience I ever had!" The more volunteers we have, the more funds we
raise for the children and families at Ronald McDonald House.
January 12: Hot Chocolate 15/5K
The Hot Chocolate 15/5K, coined as America's Sweetest Race, is brought to you by RAM
Racing, with whom Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) is the official charity
partner. This is the first year that the race will be taking place in San Francisco, and we
couldn't be more excited!
Volunteer Spotlight
Ronald McDonald House of San Francisco wouldn't be as successful in fulfilling our mission
without our team of dedicated volunteers. Not only do they help keep the House running
smoothly from day to day, they provide families with home-cooked meals, operate the
beverage cart at the hospital, and lend a listening ear when our families need it most. They
are truly an essential part of making our House a home.
This month, we'd like to send a special thank you to our volunteers from Microsoft. The group
of 15 gathered from all over the western U.S. for a regional conference in San Francisco.
What did they decide to do with their free time in the city? Volunteer! They arrived early on a
Tuesday morning and spent the day baking, decorating, carving pumpkins and getting the
House ready for a spook-tacular Halloween. As an added surprise, Greg Ginther of Microsoft
in San Francisco donated a brand new all-in-one touch screen computer, five new X-Box
games, and the newest version of X-Box! Microsoft is currently offering staff and volunteers
complimentary support and training to help our guests fully utilize these amazing new gifts.
Thank you, Microsoft!
Sponsor Spotlight
Ronald McDonald House of San Francisco is proud to honor international law firm Torys LLP
as one of our three Dinner Sponsors for the 2013 Home Away From Home Gala. Their
lawyers and staff care about enhancing the quality of life and the vitality in their communities
and, to that end, they support many community organizations. Torys connected with the
House just this past year when Board Member Judith Hall asked if they would be interested in
getting involved. From all of us here at RMH-SF, we thank you for your dedication and
support.
Since 1997, the staff, family and friends of UFCW 8-Golden State have nurtured the Loveall
Foundation for Children, which has benefited underprivileged, abused and other children with
special needs. The Foundation gives children an opportunity for a better life and enables them
to reach their full potential. The Loveall Foundation for Children is a non-profit organization
composed entirely of volunteers! RMH-SF was lucky this year to have Loveall as another one
of our Dinner Sponsors at the 2013 Gala and for that we are truly grateful. Thank you, Loveall
Foundation!
Our third generous Dinner Sponsor Is Studley. Studley is the leading global commercial real
estate services firm specializing in tenant representation. Founded in 1954, Studley pioneered
the conflict-free business model of representing only tenants in their commercial real estate
transactions. Today, with 60 offices worldwide, Studley provides strategic real estate solutions
to top-tier corporations, not-for-profit organizations and law firms. Studley is dedicated to
promoting leadership, volunteerism and monetary support of charitable organizations. The
firm supports not-for-profit organizations such as RMH-SF, as well as encourages its offices
to identify local organizations for which they can significantly impact. We are honored. Thank
you, Studley!
Join Our Cause
For those inspired to get involved, there are many ways to show your support for Ronald
McDonald House of San Francisco. We welcome individual and group volunteers to help
around the House and in the office; please visit our website at http://www.ronaldhousesf.org or drop by the House at 1640 Scott Street, San Francisco, CA 94115 to pick up a
volunteer application.
Other ways to help the House include making a donation by cash, check or credit card, or
purchasing items that appear on our wishlist. We also invite members of the community to
support our annual fundraising events by becoming sponsors, donating auction items, and
attending events.
RMH-SF provides a safe haven for critically ill children and their families. Our caring
staff and volunteers have been helping families since opening our doors in 1989, providing
temporary housing, home-cooked meals and supportive services for families living more than
50 miles outside the city while their children receive specialized treatment in a San Francisco
hospital.
Stay Connected
1640 Scott Street San Francisco, CA 94115 · 415.673.0891