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.

National Hospitality House Week 2019

Did you know that Family House is part of the Healthcare Hospitality Network, a group of facilities that provide temporary housing for families who have a person with a significant medical condition?  We are proud to celebrate National Hospitality House Week and toast our colleagues near and far for the support we are able to give to families during the most difficult time of their lives. Consider making a donation today to help support Family House as we support families of children with a life-threatening illness - over 4,000 families stay with us each year, 100% cost-free.

Make a gift today to help support families in the midst of a medical crisis.

Bobby Thomas Birthday Fundraiser for Family House

Happy Birthday to the incomparable Bobby Thomas! Bobby has been “The Bunny” during Easter time at Family House for over 20 years, bringing joy and smiles to all the families, all while raising funds for Family House. For his milestone birthday this year, he decided to throw a big bash at the Folsom Street Foundry, and raised over $10,000 in the process! It’s a testament to just how much people love Bobby! And who wouldn’t?! It’s his life’s mission to bring joy to others, and we have proof that he does that wherever he goes! Thank you, Bobby, for all you do for Family House and for everyone who is lucky to know you!

(If you know and love Bobby and want to donate to Family House in his honor, please click here.)

"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

Monthly Birthday Parties

At Family House, we love birthdays! Whether you’re turning 3, 15, 40, or 70, birthdays are something to celebrate! Many Family House families are away from home for extended periods of time, and most acutely feel the sting of being far from home when special days come up. We do everything we can to make Family House a home away from home, and that most definitely includes celebrating holidays and milestones big and small!

In 2018, volunteers from Salesforce took on the task of hosting the Monthly Birthday Pizza Party. Once a month, there’s a big party in the house for everyone who has a birthday: patients, siblings, parents, grandparents - anyone staying with us! There are presents for the kids, and pizza and cupcakes for all! The support that Salesforce volunteers provide is tremendous, and we are grateful that they hosted this party each month all last year, and are continuing the tradition for all of 2019. Thank you, Salesforce, for the many ways you support Family House families year-round!

To learn about ways that you can make a difference at Family House, visit https://familyhouseinc.org/volunteer/volunteer-opportunities/

K-PAX Racing Day at Family House

Thank you to the K-PAX Racing Team and Flexport for hosting a wonderful car show & party at Family House! Pro drivers Alvaro Parente, Andy Soucek, Rodrigo Baptista, and Maxime Soulet were in the house with a 2019 Bentley Continental GT3 race car and a street-ready Bentley, showing off the cars, signing autographs, and meeting Family House families. Volunteers from Flexport brought pizza and snacks, car-themed games, and arts and crafts, helped out with the bounce house, and more! Thank you to everyone for making it such an amazing experience - special thanks to Jim Haughey, Darren Law, Brendan Capria, Bentley Motors, Flexport, and the whole K-PAX Racing team! And congratulations to K-PAX on your wins this past weekend at the Blancplain GT World Challenge at Sonoma Raceway!

View more photos.

Watch the video.

Meet & Greet with Buster Posey

Thank you to the San Francisco Giants for the amazing opportunity for Family House families to meet Buster Posey and family, and enjoy the baseball game afterwards! This past Sunday, families got to spend time with Buster and the family, asking all kinds of questions about baseball from one of the best players in the MLB! We love how Kristen, Addison, and Lee get so involved in meeting families - and they even brought their pup to meet everyone, too! Thank you to the Poseys and the Giants for caring about Family House families and treating them to this once-in-a-lifetime experience!