Volunteer Spotlight: Mary Kane

Mary Kane is one of our weekly volunteers - and she truly shines like the star she is. Mary is devoted to making every visit count and creates such a positive environment for families. She is always professional, encouraging, and committed to the work she performs.

Mary started volunteering November of 2016 and has given more than 100 hours to Family House!

"I always leave Family House with a full heart." – Mary

On behalf of the families and staff, we say THANK YOU to Mary for all that she offers and her help in making Family House a better place.

MLK Day of Service 1/20/2020

Did you know that the 3rd Monday in January, the observed birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is the only U.S. holiday that is also designated as a national day of service? If you have the day off from work or school, consider ways to give back to our community: volunteer, donate, or simply make a point of being kind to those around you. It’s easy to make a difference, and the circle of caring will continue to go around. Here are just a few ideas of ways to honor Dr. King and celebrate his contributions:

* Volunteer at a local nonprofit. (Family House is a great choice!)  Also look at resources like Volunteer Match or Hands on Bay Area

* Make a monetary donation. Every nonprofit requires money for overhead, and your donation ensures that no family will ever be turned away from Family House 

* Organize a drive for those less fortunate in your community - food, toys, and items like socks or toothbrushes for homeless shelters

* Random acts of kindness: buy someone a cup of coffee, let someone go ahead of you in the supermarket line, or compliment a stranger. Remember that there are lots of people with hidden struggles, and simply being kind can make a huge difference in someone’s day.

2019 Family House Year in Review

2019 Year in Review

Just released! Read the 2019 Family House Year in Review. See the most exciting highlights of the year, along with some of the many corporate partners and community groups who help Family House support families all year long.

Halloween Costumes Needed

Halloween Costumes Needed

The spookiest holiday of the year is almost upon us, and we need child and adult costumes for Halloween trick or treating at Family House. Please check out our wishlist for ideas, and send new or gently-used costumes to Family House Halloween at 540 Mission Bay Blvd., North, San Francisco, CA 94158. Thank you!

Rockstar Volunteer: Mari Goldstein

Mari Goldstein brings incredible energy to Family House each time she visits.  She leads weekly yoga classes for the families that stay at Family House and understands the importance of physical, mental, and spiritual exercise.  We are lucky to have Mari share  her knowledge and expertise with our families.

As a yoga volunteer, Mari teaches classes for all interested family members that would like to participate. She even welcomes our younger children that want to experience her classes.

Mari has been a part of Family House since April 2018 and continues to make an incredible contribution to the organization.  Whenever Mari is present, she warmly greets families, staff members, and visitors.  We want to thank Mari and show our appreciation for her talents and all she brings to Family House.

Thank you Mari!

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.)

National Volunteer Week 2019

To the amazing volunteers at Family House!

I want to take this moment to say thank you for all that you do for our families. With this week being National Volunteer Week, I want to reflect on how meaningful your service is, day in and day out. There are never enough hours in the day, but you, our volunteers, are able to donate your time and efforts to support families in crisis. Whether it's helping serve breakfast each morning; bringing your therapy dog for support; keeping the house disinfected; providing a beautiful family dinner; and everything in between, we absolutely could not provide the level of support that we do without our incredible volunteers.

Last year, we had over 4,200 volunteers support Family House (that is a staff-to-volunteer ratio of 1:140) and the impact is measured not just in numbers, but through the magic and love that is felt every day when you walk through the doors. We know there so many amazing nonprofits out there and you choose to help us. We are incredibly grateful for the love and support you bring to Family House. Thank you on behalf of Family House.

With Love and Appreciation,
Karen Banks

Hops for Housing 2019

Thank you to the Sirwisa Brewing Collective for once again choosing Family House to be the beneficiary of your SF Beer Week event - Hops for Housing! Sirwisa home brewers formed teams with professional brewers to make unique brews not available anywhere else! Combined with the great performance by Soul Ska, this was the don't-miss Beer Week event!
See more photos

Become a Family House Volunteer Leader

Do you have what it takes to be a Volunteer Leader? 

Family House Volunteer Leaders have the unique opportunity to manage volunteer groups that visit Family House to host meals and other activities which are important for the families staying with us. The leadership role will include training new volunteers, welcoming and orienting group volunteers, completing house tasks, managing volunteer projects, and spending time with the families we serve. 

Interactions with families are essential to our organization and we need your help to lead events that foster impactful moments. Becoming a Volunteer Leader is a fantastic way to meet families, create friendships, learn leadership skills, build your resume, and give back to the local nonprofit community. Volunteer Leaders will have the opportunity to manage volunteer groups and activities during the mornings between 7:30am - 10:30am for breakfast; or evenings between 4:00pm - 7:00pm for dinner. 

We are asking Leaders to commit to 1 shift per week for 6 months (or longer). Ideal candidates are independent, self-starters, flexible, and determined to improve the lives of Family House families.

Volunteers are critical for the success of Family House and your leadership could be crucial to the support we offer our families. Consider becoming a Volunteer Leader and make a lasting impact on our children and families. 

To volunteer at Family House, applicants are required to complete a volunteer application, background check, photo release, and submit immunizations. We work with immunocompromised children and our requirements are for the health and safety of our families.

If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Volunteer Coordinator, Tarence Dixon at tdixon@familyhouseinc.org 

2018 Year in Review Video

See some of the highlights of “Family House magic” in action in 2018! We are so grateful to our amazing community for the tremendous support that allows moments like these to happen, making Family House a home away from home for families of children with life-threatening illnesses.

https://youtu.be/q2SVDHyqwsw

Family House Volunteers in 2018

Family House Volunteers Rock! We are grateful to the more than 4,000 volunteers who supported the Family House community in 2018. To put it simply, we couldn’t do it without you!

Volunteer Stories: XO Bakes

We love Becca Jones from XO Bakes! She hosts “Cookies for a Cause” cookie decorating classes at Family House. This airbnb “social impact experience” raises money for Family House and introduces the Family House mission to our community. The class is educational, fun, and delicious! Hear from Becca why she got involved, and what Family House has meant to her.  https://youtu.be/jc87cSo2Kl0

Rockstar Volunteer: Ashley Frolich

Ashley Frolich is an excellent volunteer who continually shines at every instance while at Family House. As a student at the University of San Francisco, Ashley majors in psychology and wants to eventually become a child and family counselor, and she is off to an incredible start.

Both inside and outside of Family House, Ashley has displayed extraordinary leadership. She is dependable, friendly, outgoing, and motived, with a strong desire to help families. These attributes truly shined through her work at the Family House Fall Fest Gala. She proved to be indispensable as a volunteer leader, directing and managing other volunteers and making it an unforgettable night.

Ashley has been a remarkable asset to the Family House volunteer team. She understands the essences of the house and how the families and team function. When families or staff need additional support, Ashley is always able to bring her extraordinary skills to the table. She can work independently, yet at the same time, she can skillfully manage individual volunteers, volunteer groups, and volunteer activities. We are so fortunate to benefit from her enthusiasm, kindness, and abilities. 

Thank you so much, Ashley, for your determination, your creativity, and the care you give to the families and staff. Family House sincerely appreciates you. We look forward to seeing you succeed in your future endeavors, and you continue to make a valuable impact on all of us at Family House. 

Volunteer Stories: Boswick the Clown

Boswick isn’t kidding around when it comes to his volunteer service at Family House - he takes clowning very seriously. He’s been entertaining kids and parents at Family House for over a decade with his goofy jokes, amazing tricks, and beautiful balloon animals. Hear from Boswick about all the ways he makes kids laugh, and why Family House is so important to him. https://youtu.be/im6Vh6FZN68

YPAC's Childhood Cancer Awareness Fundraiser

The Family House Young Professionals Advisory Council is raising funds for Family House in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Every two minutes a child is diagnosed with cancer - about 300,000 kids worldwide are diagnosed with cancer each year. Family House provides a no-cost home away from home for families of children battling cancer at the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital. Watch their video at https://youtu.be/FdpT-L6PZhU or make a donation today

Family Stories: Veronica’s Story

Family House Family Stories: Sharing the brave and inspiring stories of families of children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. When baby Tucker was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, he was rushed to the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital for treatment. Tucker’s mom, Veronica, shares how Family House has helped her family cope with a life-threatening illness, and how our supportive community keeps them going.

https://youtu.be/KCUi_SBFtiw

Meet & Greet with Buster Posey from the San Francisco Giants

Thanks to our friends at the Community Relations team at the San Francisco Giants, some very lucky Giants fans got to do a meet and greet with Buster Posey and his family at AT&T Park! More than 30 guests from Family House spent a little pre-game time with the Poseys, asking questions, taking pictures, and getting autographs - and then got to watch the home team Beat LA! Thank you to the Giants for this hats-off once in a lifetime experience! More photos at https://www.facebook.com/pg/FamilyHouseSanFrancisco/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10160231888570277

National Volunteer Week 2018

National Volunteer Week is April 15-21st!  This year, we want to take a moment to truly thank all of you for your support.
 
We rely on the volunteers who donate thousands of hours each year to keep our doors open.

Over the past year, because of you, we have hosted more meals, celebrated more birthdays, spent time with more therapy dogs and disinfected our communal spaces more than ever before to support our 4,000 families. We absolutely could not provide all of our support services without each and every one of you.

We are coming up on two years of supporting families in our Mission Bay home and 3,277 of you were instrumental to that in 2017. 
 
Volunteer Week is about celebrating you and all that you do! Without our community of dedicated individuals, we simply would not be able to serve our families as we do.
 
Thank you so much to everyone. Your volunteering makes a difference! Your support of Family House is the reason that we can positively impact the lives our families. We truly appreciate all of your efforts.
 



Sincerely,

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

Staff Spotlight: Araceli Guerrero

Name: Araceli Guerrero

Where did you grow up? In El Salvador

Position at Family House: Housekeeping

Reason for working at Family House: I love the families, I love my job, I like all the staff in Family House - everyone is very nice.

Favorite thing to do in San Francisco: Walk, enjoy the weather, visit friends.

What makes you special? I am a very simple person and I feel special because I am a mom of four wonderful kids. 2 girls - 18  and 17, and two boys - 13 and 7, who are in El Salvador.

Rockstar Volunteer: Alyssa Hunter

Many Family House volunteers are able to bring their special talents to help families directly, in areas such as yoga, massage therapy, or providing haircuts.  A very unique and special gift that Alyssa Hunter has brought to our families is to capturing the beauty in their lives.  Alyssa has been offering free portrait photography to all of the families since December 2016. She has also generously captured big parties at Family House, such as Thanksgiving Dinner, Holiday Dinner, Summer Carnival, and other events.

 Alyssa takes time to get to know each family, and photographs the whole family together, and does individual portraits, too. She has a unique skill to make the little ones smile and pose even when they are not up for the task. She is very caring, gentle, and empathetic for the situations they are going through.  The photos are a stunning display of the courage, hope, and beauty within each child.

Outside of volunteering at Family House, Alyssa runs her own photography business, Alyssa Hunter Photo, capturing photos of Bay Area families. She has a natural eye for providing her clients with the perfect portrait. On behalf of the families and staff, we say THANK YOU to Alyssa for all that she offers, and for her help in making our families feel beautiful.

Check out Alyssa's beautiful work at https://alyssahunter.com