Summer Carnival 2019

What a fun day! Thank you to everyone who made this year's Summer Carnival such a good time! Delicious homemade Mexican lunch from the team at GB Group and ice cream from Clover; entertainment by Boswick the Clown and magician The Amazing Caine; glitter tattoos by Anney Chan; Clo the Clover cow came to visit, as did Team Impact and service-dogs-in-training from Canine Companions for Independence; so many carnival games, prizes, and even stuffed animals made by the Hands On Bay Area teens in the HandsOnTomorrow program! Thank you to the incredible volunteers from Okta, the Family House Summer High School Volunteer program, The Madrone Residences & Madrone staff, with a special shout out to Gina Gorman - together, you brought so much joy and laughter to Family House families - we appreciate each of you!

Watch the fun video or see more photos on Facebook.

"Here Comes Summer" by Elan Slavin

Here Comes Summer
by Elan Slavin

I can always count on the poet, Shel Silverstein to find the most empathetic, funny, thoughtful way of communicating universal truths.  And the truth is:  Summer is here and if we don’t take a few moments to enjoy it, it will pass as all seasons do.

“Here Comes”

Here comes summer,
Here comes summer,
Chirping robin, budding rose,
Here comes summer
Here comes summer,
Gentle showers, summer clothes
Here comes summer,
Here comes summer-
Whoosh-shiver-there it goes.

Summer can be fun AND summer can be tough for families and kids as everyone’s routines are interrupted.  Kids are on break from school, the weather changes and often times it makes it difficult to play outside and participate in activities that you normally do. Friends and built-in support systems are no longer as “built-in” and available,  and feelings of boredom and isolation become very common.

Here are a few summer time/anytime activities that just might break up the boredom and encourage some summertime fun!
-          Plan a Disney movie marathon
-          Gather a few well- worn items of clothing and TYE-DYE them!
-          Build a fort in your living room!
-          Have breakfast for dinner
-          Star Gaze, of course with a mug of hot chocolate
-          Paint rocks
-          Plan a family Karaoke night
-          Go “camping” in your own backyard
-          On Fridays, eat dessert FIRST for dinner
-          Plant a tree
-          Cook a favorite family recipe together

Summer can be fun for some and rough for others.  It’s always a good reminder to “Put Something In”

Draw a crazy picture,

Write a nutty poem,

Sing a mumble-gumble song.

Whistle through your comb.

Do a loony-goony dance

‘Cross the kitchen floor.

Put something silly in the world

That ain’t been there before.

-Shel  Silverstein

Summer High School Volunteer Program Wrap-up

Each summer, Family House hosts a group of 15 high school volunteers who participate in activities and complete projects benefiting our families. We had students this year from George Washington, Lowell, Marin Academy, Lick-Wilmerding, Abraham Lincoln, Mercy, San Ramon Valley, St. Ignatius, Design Tech, and Oceana high schools - what a great mix! During each weekly session, in their activities in the house, students meet families and other volunteers. On the first day of the program, students met a family and heard their touching story, and were able to ask questions about treatment, travel, and life at Family House, all to better understand the people who would benefit from their service throughout the summer.

Every week, students also had the opportunity to interact with Family House staff from each department, hearing them speak about their roles within the organization, and how their department supports the overall functions of Family House. These presentations might help guide students as they consider their own future careers.

This year’s students (Ella, Madeline, Olivia, Mimoh, Jake, Shannen, Fion, Hailey, Nathan, Riley, Zoe, Dante, Lucy, Crystal, and Sean) were outstanding, and accomplished numerous fun projects for the families, including: decorating the house in preparation for the 4th of July festivities; hosting a pizza party and game night, including Bingo (with prizes for everyone); and hosting a cupcake baking & decorating activity. Each activity provided enjoyment and entertainment for the families going through a very difficult time.

The Summer High School Volunteer Program is so important to Family House: these young, service-minded, focused students use their talents to uplift our kids and families, while giving volunteers the opportunity to serve their community and those in need. One participant said, “It’s honestly just very humbling to see that small actions of love and care can make such a difference in somebody’s life.”  And we want to thank all those who participated this year!





From all of us at Family House, thank you! 


Karen Banks, Director of Volunteer Programs
Tarence Dixon, Volunteer Coordinator

Volunteer Spotlight: 2016 Summer High School Volunteers

Summer is one of the best times of the year at Family House – the house is full of laughter, fun, and excitement! Part of the reason for this is the Summer High School Volunteer Program. Each summer, 15-20 high school volunteers come to the house twice a week and provide house support, help with baking, arts and crafts, and other fun projects for the families at Family House. Our amazing high school volunteers can earn up to 80 volunteer hours over the course of the summer.

This year our volunteers hosted a Pokémon-Go adventure, trying to “catch-em-all” with a number of our families. In addition, our volunteers made thank you cards, assembled patio furniture for the courtyard, inventoried kitchenware in our eight kitchens, helped plan the end of summer carnival and BBQ, as well as creating the carnival game posters.  The carnival and BBQ was so marvelous that families are still talking about it! During the carnival, families played games, won special prizes, and enjoyed delicious food.

Thank you Emma Ng, Kyle Mach, Jesse Huang, Jason Jang, Jovita Ramirez, Ryan Santos, Sharon Hsu, Sophia Ladwiniec, Michael O'Bryan, Ry Goodwin, Lesley Arroyo, Carson Roberts, Marisa Navarro, Elizabeth Wagner, Vincent Garcia-Zunno, Miles Maloney, Alyssa Tabucao, Lauren McCormick, Alena McGrew, Scott Brasesco, and Eric Sun! This summer wouldn’t have been the same without you!

Rockstar Volunteer: Caroline Mierzwa

Caroline Mierwza is a senior at Carmel High School who interned at Family House during the summer of 2016. She has always had a passion for volunteering, and it showed through her extraordinary service. She plans on being a pediatrician, and from our time with her, we know she will be incredible.

During her time at Family House, she mastered multiple roles, including conducting orientations with new families, guiding tours with visitors, leading volunteer groups, and even directing her peers in our Summer High School Volunteer Program.  She became so skilled in each department of Family House that we began to view her as part of the staff.

Caroline loves to cook, paint, draw, read, and hike, and she brought those talents to Family House. She even hosted a Family Dinner for our families, preparing the entire meal from scratch. She developed into such a reliable asset that we all (families included!) came to depend on her. Caroline’s service was invaluable - thank you, Caroline!



Learn more about volunteering at Family House at http://www.familyhouseinc.org/volunteer.html

Summer Volunteering

Skip the beach one day this summer and spend a day warming your heart and soul by volunteering at Family House!

There are so many easy ways for families, community groups, and corporate teams to help our community of families going through a medical crisis. Now is a great time to introduce Family House to a friend or find out if your company has volunteer matching hours.

Find the volunteer project that suits your schedule best: spend a few hours rolling up your sleeves on maintenance projects at the 10th Avenue House; drop by our office with gas cards or gift cards for families; organize a garage sale or lemonade stand to raise money; or plan to host a family dinner; volunteer opportunities can fit into any busy summer schedule.

Family House is for everyone, and summer is a great time to get involved. Reach out to Greg Mora (gmora@familyhouseinc.org) or Karen Banks (kbanks@familyhouseinc.org) at (415) 514-6663 to learn more. Community involvement is the bedrock for creating a strong network of support for all of our families in need. We hope to hear from you soon!

http://www.familyhouseinc.org/volunteer.html