Volunteer Spotlight: Jackie Ruiz

Jackie Ruiz is an extra special Family House volunteer.  She just finished 
a semester at University of San Francisco – part of her studies included service hours at the 50 Irving Street office.  Not only is she very easy going, smart, reliable, and friendly - Jackie dedicated extra hours (beyond the 100-hour university requirement) helping at Family House to ensure that the holiday card was sent out on time to important supporters, ensuring that critical services are funded.

Jackie decided to volunteer at Family House because she wanted to be a part of something that would make her grow as a person and help others.  She really wanted to give back and support a cancer organization. Her personal connection? Her own mother just celebrated being cancer-free for 5 years.

Thank you so much Jackie for all of your help this semester. Your thoughtfulness is truly touching, and we appreciate everything you have done to help keep Family House running smoothly. We adore USF volunteers and we were very excited to have your help this semester! Thank you for everything!

You can get involved with Family House! Learn more at http://www.familyhouseinc.org/volunteer.html
 

 

Wishing you Peace, Love, and Hope

Manuel spent the first 10 weeks of his life in the hospital and at Family House. This 5-lb miracle baby was born with leukemia, and at only six days old, he underwent heart surgery to close a hole in his heart. This was followed by chemotherapy to treat his cancer. The day after this photo was taken, his parents, Patty & Rosendo, would bring him home for the first time.

Please donate today so that parents like Patty and Rosendo can focus on what matters most - their baby's health:  https://familyhouse.ejoinme.org/holidaymiracles

Why did you get involved with Family House?

We asked some of our Young Professional Advisory Council Member's (YPAC) "Why they decided to get involved with Family House?" There are many great organizations out there and these are just some of the reason's why they chose Family House:

"Since graduating college and ending the community service through my fraternity I wanted to get involved with an organization, but didn’t know where to start. In the fall of 2011 the CFA Society of San Francisco hosted a weekend volunteer event at Family House on 10^th Ave.  After working there, seeing the families, and hearing the history of Family House, I knew this was an organization worth supporting. They provide a necessary assistance that is often overlooked. Being involved with YPAC has been a fulfilling experience. The people involved are a pleasure to work with and provide a noticeable impact to Family House."

-Paul Perrino, YPAC Member

"I became involved with Family House when my friend was receiving cancer treatment at UCSF.  During one of my hospital visits, we ate tacos his mom had cooked at Family House.  No matter where you are, there is always something wonderful about eating a delicious home cooked meal surrounded by family and friends.  I remember leaving the hospital and thinking, "Hospital visits aren't supposed to be fun."  It's amazing what Family House was able to facilitate; a gathering of family and friends, delicious food, and a comforting sense of normalcy.  I wanted to be apart of that.  Shortly after, I started volunteering at Family House."

-Erika Shue, Family Night Chair

"I originally became involved with Family House through my company (Triage Consulting Group) five years ago. Over the years I’ve volunteered at a number of Triage-sponsored fundraisers and activities and have become personally invested in Family House’s mission. I joined YPAC this year because I wanted to have the opportunity to invest more time with the families and be more consistently involved with this incredible organization. I LOVE Family House!"

-Erica Navarro, Membership Chair

Thank you YPAC! Your contribution to Family House is critical in providing a home away from home for families in crisis. Look for future entries from other YPAC member's.

Question: Why did you get involved with Family House?

Get involved with Family House! Learn more at http://www.familyhouseinc.org/volunteer.html

A Sweatshirt to Remember...

One of our families wrote a lovely story about the Family House Sweatshirt - enjoy!

"Whether perambulating through the Inner Sunset fog, playing an impromptu game of catch in Golden Gate Park, or hunkering down for a long winter's nap among the beeping IV pumps and bright lights of 7 Long, the Family House hooded sweatshirt is a sure hit.

The 50-50 Poly/Cotton fleece blend surrounds you in snuggly softness.  Oversize hood is perfect for screening out noise, light and cold drafts. (Our friends tell us it also serves a subtle cloak for tears, faces that betray emotions, or a beautiful bald head.)

The kangaroo pocket warms chilly hands and serves as a hideaway for your iPhone, Nook or PDA.
The embossed, two-tone Family House Logo is an attractive accent that is sure to draw respectful nods of acknowledgement from friends, strangers, and fellow travelers.  It also tells people your not a smash-and-grab thief or convenience store bandit.
Manufactured in Honduras.  Free."

-Dave Monicken 

#GivingTuesday

It's #GivingTuesday!

Make a statement! Give Dignity to a family in need by donating to Family House: http://ow.ly/rpzA0

Volunteer Spotlight: Raissa Bump

Raissa Bump has volunteered as the Family House Yoga instructor for the past 3 years. She heard about Family House through a previous volunteer. Raissa is dedicated to providing monthly yoga sessions to the families at Family House.  Each month she sets up a yoga class and offers the service to families and staff. She is able to teach all levels, from beginner to advanced, and takes extra caution when working directly with the patients. 

Yoga helps relieve some of the emotional, social, and physical stresses that our families are going through. Yoga practices breathing techniques, behavioral guidelines, and physical posture improvements that can be incredibly valuable.

Besides donating her time by volunteering with Family House, Raissa has a thriving business selling amazing jewelry, handmade knit items, and gorgeous clothing.

Raissa, we love your energy and dedication to the families each time you visit Family House. Thank you!

Get involved with Family House! Learn more at http://www.familyhouseinc.org/volunteer.html

Boswick the Clown came to Family House!

     Boswick is the San Francisco Bay Area's premier family entertainer. An accomplished clown, juggler, and magician, Boswick has provided quality entertainment and fun for thousands of people across the country. He has been involved with Family House for many years and has provided endless laughter and joy to our families and their children.

  

           "I’ve been doing the Thanksgiving Family House event for a lot of years. I do a lot of shows, I’m approaching 7500 shows in my career but this is the show I get most nervous about. A lot of the kids have seen me, Raul’s family alone has been there now 2 years, they’ve seen me numerous times. Some kids will have nothing to do with me, the staff has certainly seen me and the volunteers look at me like this... “uh huh...a clown...” I’m a celebrity among these kids, they see my picture around, they all either own one of my DVDs or have easy access to it. In the Family House world, I’m Robin Williams. It’s pretty cool but a lot to live up to. And then there are kids like Lana, Hannah (who I called Hanukah), Max and Rubin, neither of whom could speak. These kids laughed and laughed hard. These kids are in my life forever, with their laughter.
           Kids need laughter like they need dessert. A child can live without both but that’s not a life you want for a child. It’s fun to see kids eat birthday cake and it’s just a kick to see children laugh. Each year I get the kids (and crowds) laughing harder and harder. I guess that’s what I get nervous about; can I top what I did the year before? Will the kids respond? I don’t know. Performing is walking a tight rope, I get big rewards in laughs and hugs but it’s a bit scary climbing to the wire.
           Hopefully I can keep coming back year after year. This is the show that makes me nervous, it’s also the show with the most reward."

-Boswick



        All of us at Family House really appreciate the smiles and laughs that Boswick brings us. A father staying at one of our houses sumed it up pretty well; "It's a beautiful sound when you hear any person, but in particular a little child, laugh so hard they can't control themselves. Those kids and (ahem) some of the adults, were "taken away" for awhile. Very therapeutic, very fun."

     So we thank you Boswick, so much, for entertaining us and for keeping our families laughing! Please visit Boswick's website for more informations: http://www.boswick.net/index.php?gclid=CPT5yfGuy6wCFacaQgodpChMJw 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Family House!

Saint Veronica Student Council Serves Sensational Family House

by Diego M., Kyle McA., Tory P., Alex M., and Maya McG

On Friday, November 15, St. Veronica Student Council visited Family House in San Francisco. Family House acts as a “home away from home” for families with children that have terminal illnesses. Family House provides a place where they can take a break and live their normal life in a less hectic way. These families’ original homes are at least 50 miles away from UCSF Children’s Hospital. Being that far away from the hospital and having to drive back and forth everyday can exhaust the families. Staying at Family House brings them much closer to the hospital, and it models their lives back at home.

Once we arrived at Family House, we were taken aback at how much this organization does to support the families in need, and we were excited to work as its partner. At Family House, Student Council members were split up into three teams to stock the food pantries with donations we bought with money from our Haunted House and with food we received from our Bake Sale. Each group put the donations we collected as a school on the shelves for the families to take and eat. The groups wiped down the food packages to keep bacteria away and organized the pantries so that in the future, families can find food quickly and easily. Each floor also received new pillows and towels (donated by S.V.) that Student Council helped to put away. We did this because after a long day, some of the families just want to eat dinner and prepare for the next day of treatment. Family House is clean and organized so the families’ lifestyles won’t be chaotic.

Our experience at Family House changed our perspective on exactly how an entire family is affected when one member is sick. We take our health and our homes for granted, while these families wish they were at home in good health. In the future, we would love to help Family House even more.

Thank you Family House for our great experience!

From all of us at Family House, thank you, St. Veronica students, for being outstanding volunteers and giving back to your community!

Get involved with Family House! Learn more at http://www.familyhouseinc.org/volunteer.html

Jarren Fogle's Inspiring Story

It only takes about ten seconds with Jarren Fogle to see that nothing— including his diagnosis with medulloblastoma— will slow him down.  Diagnosed earlier this summer at age two, Jarren started his treatment with surgery and three rounds of chemo in Madera.  But when a stem cell transplant and high-dose chemo were needed, he was transferred to UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital to finish his treatment.

Jarren is a bundle of energy, with an infectious smile that he hides behind his hands during a lively game of "peek-a-boo".  He snuggles up to his mom, Danielle, on a cozy chair in the Family House living room.  When asked about their time in the house, Danielle lights up.  After being secluded for three months in a hospital room in Madera, she was nervous to move into a house with other families.  But her worries were relieved once she arrived.  "It's a blessing to have the security, knowing that you have somewhere to stay when you're going through tough times like this."

Danielle instantly noticed a difference in her son once his tumor was removed— he began reciting his numbers and colors, even naming shapes that Danielle swears she never taught him!  These days, he’s got plenty to talk about, including all the details of his third birthday.  Jarren celebrated at Family House on November 14th, complete with a Mickey Mouse cake and a visit from his dad and grandma.  Next week, Jarren and Danielle hope to take a road trip to celebrate Thanksgiving at the home of another family who were living at Family House when they moved in.

Today, all traces of his tumor are gone.  And although he has a few more months of treatment, Danielle sees the light at the end of the tunnel and looks forward to her next chapter with a happy, healthy son.  “Most people never meet their hero,” she says, “but I gave birth to mine.”

Click here to learn more about Family House families:
http://www.familyhouseinc.org/family-stories.html 

Giving Tuesday

Do you know about #GivingTuesday?  It's the nonprofit world's answer to Black Friday.  Instead of focusing on consumerism, it's an appeal to give back. Please consider making a donation to Family House in someone's honor as a holiday gift.  Helping a family in need (especially around the holidays) feels so much better than that "ugly sweater" you were thinking to give.  http://www.familyhouseinc.org/donate.html

A World Record Achieved: The Anderson Family Story

Erin Anderson admires the strength of her daughter, Haven, calling her "a Marine in a two-year old’s body."  Haven was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma on April 17, 2012, just two weeks after her second birthday. Treatment began in her hometown of Denver, Colorado, but she arrived at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital after her first round of chemo proved unsuccessful.

Haven is currently undergoing a groundbreaking two week treatment at UCSF— something that has never been performed on a child her age.  Erin feels blessed to have access to this level of care for her daughter.  Upon arriving at Family House she felt immediate relief because it feels like home to her family and allows them to be incredibly close to the hospital at all times.  She loves getting to know everyone at Family House.  “It feels like a little family because everyone is going through what you’re going through.”


One thing Haven has to look forward to when she goes home to Denver: recognition for a world record achieved in her name!  Erin’s colleagues, family, and friends created a fundraising event called “Shavin' for Haven”, which began on a small scale this May.  Erin’s fellow teachers pledged to shave their heads if they could meet their fundraising goals for Haven’s treatment.  After the fundraiser’s success, they applied to the Guinness Book of World Records and took the idea to a larger scale on October 22nd.  The Andersons blew the previous record out of the water and shaved 371 heads in one hour, all in honor of their incredible daughter.

Erin and her husband are so relieved to have all the resources that Family House offers— they don't have to worry about where they'll be able to shower, eat, and take a much-needed deep breath between stints at the hospital. As for their daughter? “This is not a kind of cancer you ever want to have,” Erin explains, “But we are incredibly hopeful and faithful that this will be a positive outcome for Haven.”

Click here to learn more about Family House families:
http://www.familyhouseinc.org/family-stories.html 

Johansen Family Homecoming

We love you, Johansen family! We’re so glad that little Savannah finally gets to go home! Check out this beautiful photo documentation of a family with a little girl who spent the first few months of her life at Family House, and finally got to see her house for the first time:

See all of the photos at:
 https://www.facebook.com/jenni.tellers/media_set?set=a.10152825780151369.1073741844.583171368&type=1

20th Annual Jordan & Kyra Memorial Golf Tournament

 Perfect weather, good friends, and a great cause: the 20th Annual Jordan and Kyra Memorial Golf Tournament on Friday, October 18th. Picture getting together with 150 of your golf buddies for your annual day-in-the-sun, all benefiting the Jordan & Kyra Memorial Foundation.  The Jordan & Kyra team went all-out with decorations at the Seascape Golf Club in Aptos, California - including photo boards with pictures from the last 2 decades.

The Jordan & Kyra Memorial Foundation was created in memory of Jordan Stuart and Kyra Pillsbury, and raises money for brain tumor research, and to provide free housing at Family House in San Francisco. Both Jordan and Kyra, along with their families, were guests at Family House before they lost their battles with cancer.  This annual event is a great way to cherish their memories, and keep their playful spirits alive through hope, dignity, and comfort of families currently undergoing treatment for cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

Congratulations to the Jordan & Kyra team for putting on such a successful event, and to all of the donors, volunteers, and attendees - this event shines because of you!

To see more event photos, visit:
http://on.fb.me/1dEjHpP

To learn more about the Jordan & Kyra Memorial Foundation, visit: http://www.jordanandkyra.org/

Giving Comfort

Family House is a proud distribution partner of Giving Comfort, a program that provides free "comfort kits" to cancer patients nationwide. These wonderful kits are tailored to the needs of cancer patients, with goodies like a warm blanket, a stuffed animal, games, crayons, and animal crackers - items designed to help the physical and emotional comfort of patients while they go through the unpleasantness (and boredom) of cancer treatment. Thank you, Giving Comfort, for sharing love and coziness to kids in need!


Sign up to learn more about Giving Comfort at: http://www.givingcomfort.org/

Volunteer Spotlight: Joey Jordan

Family House has a strong and mutually beneficial relationship with the University of San Francisco. We have had a number of volunteers come to volunteer each semester through Service-Learning classes, as well as community clubs on campus.     For the first time, Family House has its own ACE student for the 2015-2015 school year. ACE stands for Advocates for Community Engagement, and is focused on “developing socially responsible, civically-engaged student leaders who facilitate quality service-learning experiences for all stakeholders and advocate for the common good of the community” per the USF ACE website. During the 2015-2013 school year, ACEs managed and led reflective activities for over 200 service-learning students.

Family House’s amazing ACE student, Joey Jordan, will be working with 14 USF students this semester, as well as providing his own service hours to help Family House at events, manage volunteers, and even TEACH Zumba lessons to the families. Joey is very inspired by Family House and is excited to support in any way he can.

He was drawn to Family House as he can understand how hard it is for a family going through treatments when they are so far from their own families.
       
When Joey is not volunteering or working on school work, he enjoys running in Golden Gate Park, spending time admiring the scenery, as well as volunteering at various non-profits including Project Open Hand, St. Vincent de Paul, and Raphael House.

Thank you Joey for all of your help this year at Family House!

You can get involved with Family House! Learn more at http://www.familyhouseinc.org/volunteer.html

Family House Family Stories videos: Margo and Jimmy

Watch the latest Family House Family Stories video: Margo and Jimmy

Jimmy has been battling Medulloblastoma for the last 7 years.  He's a fighter, and is looking forward to a bright future.

Click here to learn more about Family House families:
http://www.familyhouseinc.org/family-stories.html 

Family House Short Video

This video features Family House staff and families, and doctors from the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, and is a great look into the mission of Family House.

Click here to learn more about Family House families:
http://www.familyhouseinc.org/family-stories.html  

More Than a Hat, an interview with Brenda Orr

How did you first hear of Family House, and why did you decide to get involved?

I first heard about Family House when one of the teachers at Toro Park School (in Salinas, California) asked the staff if they could donate caps in the month of December to give to Family House.  When I went shopping, I could only afford 1-2 caps; [but I realized] I could pick out a pattern and sew caps a lot cheaper.  That was the start of my fleece cap campaign.  I’ve been making them ever since.

Fleece hats are your signature, how do you come up with the patterns and designs?

The pattern is from a pattern book.  There are only 2 pattern pieces.  They’re easy to cut out and easy to sew.  I buy fabric from a store in Morgan Hill that gives me discounts.  I buy fabric about once a month.  I love the old town Morgan Hill, so I treat myself to a trip downtown and visit my favorite shops.

When I make my caps, I usually make 20-30 or more.  I try to make an equal number of boys and girls caps.  I also make various sizes.

What do you do when you’re not making hats for Family House?

I am currently trying to get involved with the “Look Good, Feel Better” program through the American Cancer Society.  I like to make hats for ladies.  I have 3 different styles that I sew.

I am newly retired from teaching.  I am able to sew, swim, hike, read, take small trips, volunteer, and update my condo.

Last thoughts?

I’m real impressed with Family House.  The way they treat their patients and families is wonderful.  They’re organized and inspired.  Keep up the good work!

You can get involved with Family House! Learn more at http://www.familyhouseinc.org/volunteer.html

Family House Family Stories Videos

Have you seen the latest Family House Family Stories videos?  Since being introduced in June (Nino's Story), we have released two more Family Stories videos - Amenah & Anthony, and Jack's Tale.  While each story is very different, they share the same themes - love, community, compassion, gratefulness, and strength.

We plan to release a new Family Story video each month - be sure to subscribe to the Family House Youtube Channel and sign up to receive our newsletters.

Please view and share these videos - by sharing the mission of Family House, it builds our community, enabling us to help even more families in need.  Thank you!

Click here to learn more about Family House families:
http://www.familyhouseinc.org/family-stories.html