K-PAX Racing / Family House Day at Sonoma Raceway

Check out this great video about the K-PAX Racing/Family House partnership, and the awesome Pirelli World Challenge Championship race day at Sonoma Raceway!

See photos from the race day at facebook.com/familyhousesanfrancisco

“Books for Sick Kids” Fundraiser

Thank you to Tise, Toyin, and Toyo Obembe for hosting a great book drive for Family House families! By reaching out to their community, they raised $550 which, in partnership with the Scholastic Literacy Program, was used to purchase 338 books for Family House. We asked their father, Olu, how it came to be:

“My kids were challenged last year by my wife to think of something they can do to help others.  Last year’s effort was a teddies for sick kids drive. They built ‘build-a-bear’ bears for kids at Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland. This year, I shared with them what Family House Director of Volunteer Programs Karen Banks had shared when she spoke to my corporate team at Salesforce. I was inspired. My kids were excited. That’s how it started. You can help others with just a little effort.”

Thank you for caring about our community!

Learn how you can get involved: familyhouseinc.org/donate

Family House Family Stories: Gina’s Boys

Family House Family Stories: Sharing the brave and inspiring stories of families of children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. This story features Gina, mom to four boys, two of whom have a rare genetic disease that requires treatment at the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital. Hear from Gina about the positive impact that Family House has had on their family, and the ways that they try to pay it forward.

Staff Spotlight: Beryl Velasco

Name: Beryl Velasco

Where did you grow up? Guadalajara, Mexico

Position at Family House:
Hospitality Services Coordinator 

Reason for working at Family House:
I love helping others and I am so glad I can do it in a place so welcoming and amazing like Family House

Favorite thing to do in San Francisco:   

Having brunch at Art’s Café in the Sunset and soak up some sun at Dolores Park.

What makes you special? 

I can count to ten in 5 languages: English, Spanish, French, Japanese and Italian

What's the story behind the photo?
This is the time I went to Tomales Bay and I learned how to open oysters!

Remembering Dr. Arthur Ablin

We at Family House mourn the loss of Dr. Art Ablin, beloved Co-Founder of our organization and a true visionary.

Art was Professor Emeritus at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, where he served as Chief of Pediatric Oncology, and was a leader in his field. Art was both a general pediatrician and pediatric oncologist who treated scores of young patients since the 1950s, as well as a friend and mentor to countless folks lucky enough to know him. Among his many good works is the creation of Family House in 1981, which started because of his vision and commitment to all families whose children face cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

Out of a desire to provide family-centered care in partnership with UCSF, Art’s vision was to provide free housing and basic needs for the families of seriously ill young patients. In the 1980s, Art noticed many of his young patients’ family members sleeping in their cars or in hospital waiting rooms, unable to pay for a hotel. “Family House was set up as cost-free place for families to stay, but also as a center based very much on communal experience, so these families could share with each other what they were going through,” Art said.

In 1981, Art and others raised nearly $500,000 to buy housing from the Mormon Church that sat adjacent to the UCSF Children’s Hospital (later UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital), with the intention of providing housing for patients’ families. With the opening of the new Nancy and Stephen Grand Family House, Debbie and Art Ablin have ensured that families will always have a home to turn to when patients need medical attention in San Francisco.

While Art was a highly regarded physician and internationally sought-after speaker on the topic of pediatric hematology, his compassion and unwavering dedication to children and families at Family House for the past 36 years has produced a model of community that we celebrate this day and every day of the year. Those of us who had the unbelievable pleasure of working with Art since Family House was founded 36 years ago know that his talent, passion, wisdom, humor, and loving spirit infuse every aspect of our organization and the work we do for kids and families. Art’s inherent talent for nurturing what is best in us will live on as we are inspired by his values and humanity.

From all of us and the thousands of families that have stayed at Family House, we will remember Art with the great respect and love that he gave so freely to others.

We are so lucky to have known him and will miss him deeply.

Summer Carnival 2017

Our second annual End of Summer Carnival at the Nancy and Stephen Grand Family House was a blast! We had so many great volunteers who pitched in with donations, decorations, hosting carnival games, prizes, entertainment, food, and so much more! All of the parents and children in attendance had a great time! Thanks to everyone who helped give our families such a fun and special afternoon! Special thanks to Gina Gorman and friends, including residents, staff, and business partners of The Madrone Residences; Canine Companions for Independence therapy dogs; Boswick The Clown; Suzy Q face painting; San Francisco Fire Department/ SFFD Station 4; photographer Jillian Gorman Photography; summer high school volunteers; and regular weekly Family House SanFrancisco volunteers - we could not have provided such a wonderful experience without each and every one of you! See photos at https://www.facebook.com/pg/FamilyHouseSanFrancisco/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10159037587795277

Welcome Joanne Gold, Chief Development Officer

Please join us in welcoming the new Family House Chief Development Officer, Joanne Gold! Joanne comes to us with a wealth of development experience, and we’re so excited that she’s part of the team!