Portland, December 4th, 2015. A focus on children led to a record-breaking year for Providence Festival of Trees’ 33rd anniversary in Portland. This holiday tradition delighted thousands during the public show, but the real Christmas magic happened during the gala and auction that kicked off the weekend’s festivities. The sold-out event hosted more than 1,000 generous donors who were there to support the expansion of pediatric developmental health services. The gala raised a record-breaking $1.1 million, which included two generous donations of $50,000 during the special appeal – one from Bob and Sharon Miller and another from Ron and Tammy Witcosky; a $50,000 commitment from local pediatric providers; and an auction bid of $25,000 for a Starbucks-themed tree.
Tree Name: Rockin’ Sounds of Christmas
Sponsor: Providence Health Plan
Decorators: Ronni Nichuals, Judy Campbell Mary Nichols, Velma Rodriguez
Tree Name: Hearts and Cups Filled
Sponsor: Starbucks Coffee Company
Decorators: Jerin Boyer and Jodi Casey
Resa Bradeen, M.D., Regional Medical Director, Children’s Services with Bob Mendelson, M.D., retired pediatrician, Pediatric Associates of the NW.
Rita and Fred Donnelly browse the silent auction at the 2015 Festival of Trees gala.
Sharon Miller, middle, with Sandy and Bob Albers helped raise more than $1 million dollars at this year’s Providence Festival of Trees.
The Festival of Trees gala hosted more than 1,000 generous donors who were there to support the expansion of pediatric developmental health services.
“The amount of engagement by donors and the public has been amazing,” said Resa Bradeen, M.D., regional medical director, Children’s Services, Providence Health & Services. “Most people know someone who is caring for a child with special health needs and understand the level of support that families need.”
One in five children has special health needs, developmental delays or disabilities, and the community lacks the resources to care for them all. Providence provides specialized evaluation, treatment, education and support for children facing challenges such as autism, cerebral palsy, complex ADHD, Down syndrome or sensory processing disorder. “Our goal is to double the number of children we serve next year, and the tremendous outpouring of support will allow us to take our program to the next level,” added Dr. Bradeen.
During the Festival of Trees gala, Dr. Bradeen announced that the Providence Neurodevelopmental Center for Children will be renamed Providence Children’s Development Institute, reflecting Providence’s vision to become a center of excellence for children with special health care needs. Providence Children’s Health is committed to reversing a state and national trend of limited access to care for these children and their families. As a beneficiary of the 2015 Providence Festival of Trees, Providence will be able to begin expanding developmental, behavioral and neurological services.
In total, the 2015 Providence Festival of Trees in Portland was attended by more than 20,000 holiday-minded visitors and raised $1.1 million and counting as donations continue to come in.
Providence’s two other festival celebrations in Seaside and Medford generated a combined total of more than $600,000 in contributions for programs in those communities.
Providence Health & Services in Oregon:
Providence Health & Services in Oregon, ranked as the seventh most integrated health care system in the nation, offers a comprehensive array of health and education services through its eight hospitals, medical clinics, health plans, long-term care facilities and home health services. With more than 17,000 employees, Providence is the state’s largest private employer. Visit www.providence.org/oregon.
