FALL PREVIEW: RMHC’s Hearts & Hands Gala to Raise Much Needed Funds for Seriously Ill Children

Portland OR. RMHC supporters want you to join them for the Hearts & Hands Gala coming up on October 5th! It’s the biggest benefit of the year for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Oregon & SW Washington. The event will be held at The Nines (at 525 SW Morrison) and is black tie optional. Click here for a link to buy tickets or learn more about the gala.

Organizers expect the gala will raise much more than $700,000. “Guests will enjoy the wonderful company of KPTV-TV’s Shauna Parsons and Artisan Auction’s Dale Johannes, who will co-host the event this year. This beautiful evening will also feature a cocktail reception with a silent auction, a delicious dinner paired perfectly with Oregon’s finest wines, a live auction, dancing, and more!”

For nearly 35 years, supporters in our area have helped provide thousands of families with a home away from home at the Ronald McDonald House so that they can focus on the health of their child.

The 2018 Hearts & Hands Gala raised over $730,000 last year to support RMHC’s mission of providing a home away from home when families need it the most. This year’s event will celebrate RMHC’s partners and community of support that have made it possible to keep families close – without ever charging a fee. Susan Schnitzer, Phil Fogg, and Jessica Jarratt Miller are pictured in our first photo. Here are more photos from the gala last year:

Organizers explain, “What began as one House with 17 guest rooms has evolved into four beautiful Houses across the state with 69 rooms. If you are interested in supporting your local Ronald McDonald House, please join us at the Hearts & Hands Gala! Purchase a ticket or table today – seats are going fast! Click here for ticket information.”

From Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Oregon & SW Washington:

Our Mission

Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Oregon & SW Washington provides access to medical care, a “home away from home,” and a community of support for seriously ill or injured children and their families.

Keeping Families Close Since 1984

After two years of planning, the first Oregon Ronald McDonald House opened in 1984 within walking distance of OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and Shriners Hospital for Children. In 1997, two more Ronald McDonald Houses opened: one in Bend, serving families who traveled for care at St. Charles Medical Center, and a second in Portland, just steps away from Randall Children’s Hospital on the campus of Legacy Emanuel Hospital.

In order to meet the evolving needs of our families and to increase capacity, our Houses have undergone various remodels and relocations. What began as one House with 17 guest rooms has evolved into three beautiful Houses with 56 rooms. For more than three decades, our dedicated staff and volunteers have offered comfort and support, a well-stocked kitchen, and a comfortable bed to more than 35,000 families, reminding everyone who enters our Houses that they are always at home and never alone.

Part of a Global Family

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Oregon & SW Washington is part of a global network of Ronald McDonald Houses and programs that serve nearly 6,000,000 children and families annually. Since 1974, our network of local chapters have been making children happier and healthier by keeping families together and giving them a place to rest and heal. Tailored to meet the urgent needs of each community, these programs can now be found in more than 60 countries and regions across the globe.

Our Financial Health

Our Houses are built on the simple idea that nothing else should matter when a family is focused on the health of their child — not where they will get their next meal or where they will lay their head at night to rest. Families are invited to stay at our Houses for free and offered meals and snacks, which removes a major barrier for families who may not be able to find alternative housing. In Portland, the average hotel costs $175 per night. At our Houses, it’s always $0.

Community Reports

Every year, we create an annual report to share family stories, and update donors and supporters about our programs and financial health. To review previous years’ reports, click here.

Editor’s note: Fall Preview is a PortlandSocietyPage.com feature and is sponsored content.