It’s Halloween!

It’s Halloween!
By Elan Slavin, MSW

It’s Halloween! It’s Halloween!
The moon is full and bright
And we shall see what can’t be seen
On any other night

Skeletons and ghosts and ghouls,
Grinning goblins fighting duels,
Werewolves rising from their tombs,
Witches on their magic brooms.


A chill is finally in the air.  Costumes are being made and sold and Halloween candy seems to be everywhere we look tempting us and our kids.  If you are a parent, you may be trying to think of ways for your child to celebrate Halloween in a safe, healthy way; especially if you are a parent of a child with an illness. Here are a few things to consider as you and your kiddos look forward to Halloween:

If your child is in the hospital during Halloween, ask the healthcare team if there is a celebration planned.  Oftentimes pediatric centers will host trick-or-treating or have costume parties for patients. It may also be fun to decorate your child’s room with Halloween decorations. If your child would like to wear a costume, you may want to make sure it’s comfortable and that the medical team has given the ok!

There are also some fun activities you can do at home if your child is unable to go trick-or-treating.

• “Camp out” in your family room! Set up sleeping bags, have some yummy snacks and tell a ghost story or two
• Turn on a scary movie (well, not too scary) and make a fort to snuggle up in!
• Carve a pumpkin (or paint one) with silly faces
• Bake a few Halloween themed treats!
• Have a MONSTER MASH Halloween Dance Party! Turn up the music, put on your costume, and rock out to your favorite tunes! 

If your child is able to trick-or-treat and you don’t want them to eat every single piece of candy, you can:

• Have your child choose their favorite 10 pieces of candy, then donate the rest! (Maybe to your local VA or to women and men overseas who would really appreciate it.)
• Bake cookies using chopped up candy bars instead of chocolate chips and share them with your neighbor.
• “Buy” each piece of candy from your kids for 10 cents each.  Let them use the money to buy a new book or small toy or decide as a family where to donate the funds. 

Most importantly, have fun, be safe, and celebrate the season!

Holiday Volunteer Opportunities at Family House

Fall has only just begun, but holiday planning is already underway at Family House!
Every day of the week, volunteers and staff serve a healthy Family Breakfast to all of our residents, setting a positive tone for the day ahead. Most weeknights, volunteer groups cook or bring in a beautiful Family Dinner to be shared by all Family House guests. Both are satisfying ways to fulfill a practical need (food) while providing emotional support and love to families during a difficult time. Check out the Family House Family Meal Calendar for more details and to sign up for a shift.

We know that the dates through the end of the year are filling up fast, so consider alternate activities at Family House, like a midday meal or family activity, such as arts and crafts or board games. Contact us with your desired date & time and your idea for an activity!

If you don’t live near Mission Bay, but would still like to support Family House families during the holidays, consider doing a collection drive. We have an Amazon Wishlist with items that our families need. We also give out gift cards to families - gas cards, Safeway grocery cards, and gift cards to Target are extremely useful. See all of the wishlists at familyhouseinc.org/amazonsmile

To make a financial gift in support of Family House families, please visit give.familyhouseinc.org. It costs $150 per night to house a family here, and all stays are 100% cost-free to all families, thanks to the generosity of donors.

Thank you for helping to make Family House a home away from home, especially for those who will be in San Francisco and away from their extended families this holiday season.

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!

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Go gold this September in support of kids battling childhood cancer! In the United States, more than 15,000 children will be diagnosed with cancer each year. The most complicated cases are referred to major children’s hospitals like the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in San Francisco, which means that families are often far from home for extended periods of time while their child receives treatment.

Family House provides a home away from home for these families, and becomes a center of community and family for those who are away from their usual support networks. Every family has a clean, comfortable bedroom with a private bathroom, and shares a communal kitchen, living, and dining spaces. Staff and volunteers host breakfast every morning, and volunteer groups regularly host dinners for all Family House guests. We help fill hours outside of the hospital with fun activities like therapy dog visits, arts and crafts, music therapy, movie nights, and playtime on our 9,000 square foot courtyard.

Only those who have a critically-ill child can really understand what it’s like - there are stresses beyond stresses: doctor’s appointments, hospital stays, uncertainty about your child’s health and future; medical copays, travel expenses, lost wages; supporting siblings, and self-care. The families at Family House “get it,” and support each other through good times and bad. It’s one of the most important aspects of our mission - community care.

Every family stays for free at Family House for as long as they need; but it is not without cost. It costs Family House $150 per night for a family to stay with us; we are entirely supported through private donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. Make a difference for a family going through the most difficult time of their lives: give a gift now.

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!

Home Depot Volunteer Day at Family House

Wow! A huge thank you to The Home Depot Foundation and the 80+ (!!!) employees who undertook a major project volunteering at Family House! We’ve been in the Nancy & Stephen Grand Family House for 3 years, and this is the first significant “home improvement” project yet - and who better to do it than the experts from Home Depot? Volunteers repainted the baseboards and accent walls throughout our 92,000 square foot building - a project that took more than a day! While that was happening, other volunteers beautified the courtyard and spruced up the container gardens throughout, with lots of fresh new flowers and plants; and yet others worked on a “picture frames” painting project that will be unveiled later this year. While all this hard work was happening, even more volunteers were hosting a terrific experience for our families - interactive building projects and a great barbecue on the courtyard.

Congratulations to Scott Rustigan, winner of Home Depot’s Angel Award for exceptional service in the community! We know how all you’ve done for Mason and his family has made all the difference in the world, and we’re glad you’re part of the family. Thank you to Amy Hollingshead for connecting your Home Depot family with your Family House family! #teamdepot #homeawayfromhome #family

Click here to see more photos from this wonderful day of service, and click here to watch the video!

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.