2008 Summary of Key Projects and Activities
Annual Events:
Event: Skate with the Greats
Date: January 23, 2008
Time: 6:000 PM Cocktails, Dinner, Skating
Location: The Ice Rink at Rockefeller Center or MSG
Attendees: 1,200 persons
Our annual event with members of the New York Rangers, this year featured Brian Leetch as his number was retired from the NY Rangers Line-up. The Lead Sponsor was AIG and the record was set of 1.6 million dollars raised.
Event: Little Mermaid Theatre Benefit
Date: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 (carried over from 2007)
Time: 5:30 PM Cocktails and Dinner / 8:00 PM Curtain
Location: NY Marriott Marquis Pre Theatre Dinner and Lunt Fontanne Theatre
Attendees: 400 persons
Due to the Broadway Strike in late 2007, this event was originally 11/14/07.
Event: An Evening with the NY Pops Orchestra
Date: April 28, 2008
Time: 5:30 PM Cocktails & hors d’oeuvres, 7:30 Concert
Location: Carnegie Hall
Attendees: 200 persons
The event was budgeted at $20,000 and brought in a total of $118,950. This was over $100,000 over last years inaugural event. The event was comprised of a pre-reception Planned Giving Seminar, Cocktail Reception and Concert. As a special highlight this year, children from Ronald McDonald House, who had been participating in a weekly music enrichment program at the House with the NY Pops, through a grant from the Nadissy foundation, were welcomed on stage to perform a selection.
Event: “A Catered Affair”
Date: April 30, 2008
Time: 5:30 PM Cocktails & Dinner, 8:00 Theatre
Location: NY Marriott Marquis Pre Theatre Dinner, Walter Kerr Theatre
Attendees: 400 persons
Theatre Benefit and Dinner.
Event: Winged Foot Golf Outing
Date: Monday, May 5th, 2008
Location: Winged Foot Golf Club
Attendees: Morning and Afternoon Flights
Our best year to date on the three year old annual event. The ability to use both courses in the morning and afternoon flights made a world of difference allowing us to attract HSBC Premiere Banking to have an exclusive morning flight at the prestigious club. The afternoon flight spilled over to both courses and reflected the growing enthusiasm as led by our Lead Sponsor: Marsh, Inc.
Event: 16th Annual Gala and 30th Anniversary Celebration
Date: Monday, May 19, 2008
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: Waldorf=Astoria
Attendees: 1,000 persons
This is an achievement of achievements! Our Honoree was Alan Scwhartz, the President of Bear Stearns, while the collapse of the company and purchase by JPMorganChase was in process. Nevertheless, our Board rallied and managed to raise twice as much money as they had the year before bringing in the total of three million dollars, meeting the budgeted goal.
Event: Greek Division Walk-A-Thon
Date: Saturday, May 17, 2008
Location: Ronald McDonald House
A record year with over $95,000 in Gross income.
Event: Monday Evening with the NY Football Giants
Date: October 20, 2008
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: Chelsea Piers
With over 537 persons attending, this was our biggest year ever, with over $430,000 in gross income.
Event: “Billy Elliott”
Date: October 30, 2008
Time: 5:30 PM Cocktails & Dinner, 8:00 PM Theatre
Location: NY Marriott Marquis Pre Theatre Dinner, Imperial Theatre
Attendees: 400 persons
Theatre Benefit and Dinner.
Event: Kids Charity Fun Run
Date: Saturday, November 1, 2008
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: Central Park, 7th Ave at 59th St Entrance, follow signs
Attendees: 1,000 persons
Our best year ever with 1,000 registered runners and over $120,000 in Gross income. The event is Kids helping Kids, kicking off with warm-ups by Ronald McDonald, 4 year olds are the starting “heat” with a 500 yard run followed by other age groups ending with teenagers at ½ mile.
Event: Light A Light, Share A Night
Date: December 3, 2008
Time: 5:30 PM
Location: Lobby and Living Room of the Ronald McDonald House of NY
Attendees: 200 persons
This year was a great success with over $75,521 in gross support and a gift of new sheets, pillow cases, and towels totaling over $20,000 was received from TheCompanyStore.com. This event focuses on holiday traditions of Kwanza, Christmas and Chanukah. The 2008 celebration featured songs by the children, gospel singers with interpretive dance, music by the NY Pops, debut of our in-house rock band, Bad Habit, rides on a polar bear and reindeer, and a visit from a Radio City Rockette and Santa.
Event: Jingle Ball
Date: Mid December 2008
Time: 6:30 doors open, 7:30 Show
Location: Madison Square Garden
Attendees: 100 persons
Tickets to the annual Z-100 Jingle Balls Concert are packaged as support of the House, the gross was considerably less than in previous years and reflected the stalled economy. We did learn how to use electronic auctions to our benefit and will recommend in 2009 that a percentage of the tickets be reserved for loyal buyers, but after a short offering period those that were not purchased would be made available on e-bay. A pre-purchase agreement should also be worked out with the Westchester Ronald McDonald House.
Event: Greek Division Holiday Party
Date: December 8, 2008
Location: Ronald McDonald House
One of the best years ever for the Holiday Party with over $125,000 I in gross receipts.
Third Party Events:
Event: 2nd Annual Situs Cares
Date: September 17, 2008
Location: The Empire Hotel, Lincoln Square
The second year of the Anne Jablonski Team brought in over $24,080 from their contacts in Real Estate, approximately three times their first year gross.
Event: Happy Faces Golf Outing
Date: September 16, 2008
Location: Wyackagyl Country Club
The second year of this event did approximately $50,000 over the year before with a total $205,000 gross, and was once again a successful marriage of a third party, The Children’s Happy Faces group and the resources of the RMD House, including the use of our Raiser’s Edge event software, our Accounting General Ledger and personnel from the Development Department who served as active guides to the third party group.
Event: 2nd Annual Steven Siegel Family Fun Day
Date: Oct 4, 2008
Location: Plainview-Old Bethpage Community
Event: Electronic Trading Event, Pink Slip Parties 1 & 2
Date: May 7, November 11 & December 10, 2008
Location: Arena Night Club & Public House and M1-5
These new un-budgeted events raised over $32,000 in total and are the efforts of Daniel Yu from Citi’s Lava Trading Division.
Development:
Establishment of Development Office and Staff
- The second year of the Development Department saw an expansion of personnel. Both a Director of Major Gifts in January and a Director of Special Events in April were hired. One part time consultant was retained as a Special Projects Consultant and two part time consultants were retained, (the Planned Giving Consultant and a Special Projects Consultant). Also, an additional room was added to accommodate the increase in staff.
- Increasingly, all event research, planning, execution and audio-visual capabilities were almost completely brought “In-House”.
- A planning conference was held during the summer and several important strategies were ironed out including an annual calendar of all things related to our development work and budget work sheets. The work sheets were critical tools that really allowed us to build up the expenses and income for 2009.
- New partners in fund raising were identified including Skanska, XL Insurance and Sports Illustrated. Some relationships were greatly expanded in tandem with other departments resulting in Macy’s growing their partnership with the House and The NY Pops having our children, who were taught to play percussion instruments through a Foundation Grant, on stage at Carnegie Hall at their Gala. Also, the relationships developed at Chelsea Piers through the New York Giants resulted in free ice skating for our families.
- Ultimately, the House had its best year financially ever, suggesting that this personnel model was working towards the correct objectives. The final results were an increase in total dollars raised over budget by as much as two million dollars.
On Going Contributions
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United Way, Matching Gifts, Combined Municipal Campaign, Auto/Boat Sales, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Penny Harvest, New York Hospitality Industry Campaign, Room Naming Opportunities.
Planned Giving
- During 2008, planned giving conducted two solicitation campaigns. They successfully yielded additional interest and prospects for estate planning. Furthermore, in efforts to continue to develop the Vivian Harris Society its members were invited to our Fall theater event and properly recognized. In 2008 we were able to secure our single largest announced planned gift of $500,000.
Direct Mail
- The slowing economy and election year mail volume gave us a scare as we came into the fourth quarter and appeared to be projecting a significant shortfall against the 1.6 million dollar goal. The final Income for the 2008 Planned Giving year was $1,575,301, which missed the goal by $98,664 or 5.8% shortfall. Until October the campaign appeared to be on pace to be on target. The sharp downturn of the economy appeared to be reflected in the campaign.
Volunteers & Programs:
Volunteer Manager
- Represented the House at the NY Rotary and she scheduled management staff to attend on a regular basis. Coordinated a special in-house celebration for Captain James Murtagh and a special reading a play by Ed Gray from the NY Rotary.
- Facilitated the one million dollar donation form the Countess Moira Foundation and assisted with the re-dedication of the House lobby to her.
- Visited Schools throughout the year. Her efforts raised thousands of dollars for the house for programs such as the Penny Harvest.
- Her community outreach brought in donations such as tickets for the families to Lincoln Center, a dinner for the House kids at the Hard Rock and inspired the ladies at St. Vincent DePaul prepare a dinner as well.
Volunteer Department
- Volunteer orientations, Volunteer training, in-services and support groups were offered throughout the year with very good attendance.
- Over 300 new volunteer applications were processed and over 50 new volunteers began working at the House in 2008.
Outside Groups for Volunteer Projects
- Coordinated a dozen out-of-state colleges and universities, half-term/winter recess-special volunteer projects: i.e. Barnard College, University of Georgia, University of Miami that have assisted us with special cleaning projects, administrative projects and database collection. We also saw an increase in local community groups assisting throughout the year.
Department of Family Support
- Provided psychological, social and spiritual care for patients, families and staff of the Ronald McDonald House. Increased contacts with constituents by 10% over 2007 seeing a total of 8,528 people.
- Expanded their team of professionally trained volunteers to include 3 clinical chaplains, 2 social workers, a women’s fitness trainer and a life-coach. All participate on a weekly basis providing invaluable health and wellness programming for our female caregivers.
- Expanded their reach to include a new spirituality & support group, which addresses the needs of Spanish speaking mothers & female caregivers.
- Our weekly family support programs include a caregiver support group, new guest orientation, woman’s wellness and exercise group, interfaith prayer service, hope & healing Mass with Sacrament of the Sick, and Latina spirituality & support group.
- Coordinated an interdisciplinary approach to “family-centered crisis intervention" with the Director of Operations, House Psychologist, clinical psycho-social workers, and other outside agencies as needed (directly involved in 8 crisis intervention situations & family crisis meetings in 2008).
- We continue to serve as liaison with partnering hospitals and other social service providers such as the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of NYC, Angel Flights North East, local dentists and doctors in order to provide out-patient psychiatric care, clothing and food donations. Similarly, the in-house operations department partnered with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of NYC and the Junior League to hold our second annual Mom’s Spa Night event held the weekend of Mother’s Day.
- Provided end-of-life support to palliate patients and their family members. Also, followed up with bereavement care as needed.
- Developed and implemented a unique “Blessing Box” program in partnership with the “Blessing Cup” project, (a non-profit organization that helps women in transition). The box includes specialized gifts, sacred items and rituals suitable for various occasions. These instances include memorials, thanksgiving, childhood sacraments, leave-taking, hope and healing.
- Provided clinical ethics consultation with patients, families and house staff. Facilitated and participated in an interdisciplinary process which helps entrenched, long-term-stay families’ transition from the Ronald McDonald House back into their home or other temporary housing.
- Our Angel On A Leash therapy dog program grew to 13 certified teams with a total of 16 therapy dogs qualified to participate in the program. Our teams visited with a total of 2,630 staff, patients & family members in 2008. Mutual of America honored us with a nationally recognized award for community service and partnership with the Westminster Kennel Club, creating the Ronald McDonald-Angel On A Leash therapy dog program.
- Pope Benedict visited the Ronald McDonald House during his visit to New York City. We are honored and grateful to report the Holy father blessed several of the children. Furthermore, we hosted media from NBC, CBS, Fox, Univision, Telemundo, the New York Post & Catholic News Service and CW11. They collectively featured an exclusive piece on the impromptu visit to the papal residence on East 72nd Street. It is important to mention the NYPD 19th precinct for orchestrating the logistics.
Wellness & Spirituality
- Baptized 5 children & performed 1 First Holy Communion Mass where we coordinated in-house religious instruction, (in cooperation with Saint Monica parish) for preparation of the sacrament.
- Assisted 1 family with immigration technicalities, providing them with pro-bono legal counsel and the ability to stay & potentially work in the United States.
- Worked with the Parochial school system to place a child/patient into Saint Stephen of Hungary School, tuition free.
2008 Program Highlights
- Camp Hole in the Wall (2x a week) – at the end of the summer, Camp Hole in the Wall hosted its first weekend retreat. Forty families attended and their presence made it a resounding success.
New York Pops – Rhythm, Rhyme & Rap (24 weekly lessons) Dr. Sherrie Maricle and two of her colleagues hosted sessions. The sessions culminated in a performance by 7 RMDH children at the 25th Annual Gala at Carnegie Hall. - New York Pops – Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp, 6 teenagers were taught how to play electric, acoustic, bass, and drums. This resulted with a recording session at Izzy Gold Recording Studio and the first RMDH of NY CD in 2009. The students and the NY Pops performed live at the Share A Night festivities at the House.
Science with Christine Taylor (2x a week) – Science programs take place in the playroom. In 2009 the first RMDH of NY “Weird Science” book will be published by Christine Taylor for use in other RMD Houses and proceeds going to the NY House. - Kids Kicking Cancer – each week Robin Hardbattle and Angela Babin teach martial arts to patients and siblings. Our students and their teachers were able to perform at the Michael’s Awards Black Tie Dinner and at the RMDH Gala. Channel 2 News also did a segment of this program which aired in April.
- Martial Mothers and Fighter Fathers – a spin off of Kids Kicking Cancer for our parents.
- Dance with Cary McWilliams – Hip Hop and Creative Dance Movements every Monday with our patients and siblings and Salsa Classes every other Thursday for our parents and staff.
85 children, both patients and siblings, took part in Camp Ronald McDonald House of NY. On average 12 – 25 children participated daily. - Planned activities: Science with Christine Taylor, cooking, swimming, arts and crafts and Camp Hole in the Wall Gang.
- Planned day trips: Trapeze School, Kayaking down the Hudson, Bronx Zoo, Ice Skating at Chelsea Piers, Fishing at Sheepshead Bay, New Jersey Shore and Mets Camp Day.
- Four tutors worked with 15 students. The educators administered formal and informal planned instruction. One of our students was able to read his autobiography at the RMDH Gala.
- ESL for Parents – a spin off of our tutoring class but for our parents who have difficulty with English.
- ABO members helped in securing two vans for RMDH. This process secured $125,000 for the House.
- Missy Smith Foundation submitted $11,000 to help support NY Pops - Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp.
- Potential new volunteer, Jim Burke, helped with the Gala and submitted $10,000 for the cause.
- Three programs: Martial Mothers and Fighter Fathers and Dance with Cary McWilliam were sponsored by the Balm Foundation.
Hospital Relations
- Implemented the Strategic Planning Initiative that updated the 2005 Medical Demand Study. It was part of the overall assessment in regards to housing needs of children with cancer in New York City. Reported findings to the October 2008 Board of Directors meeting.
- Visited several of our partnering hospitals to strengthen relationships, explore needs and develop better communication networks. Held meetings with the social worker teams, administrators and doctors. After these meetings we realized an increase in House occupancy. Also, we were able to add a second vehicle to better serve the needs of all our partnering hospitals.
Outside Relations
- Met with the Senior Director of Field Management at St. Jude’s Hospital to discuss and understand their organization’s team approach. This was done to help increase productivity and enhance the services we provide to our guests. Also, visited Hope Lodge, RMDH New Jersey and Atlanta. Finally, we collaborated by phone and email with many other RMDH throughout the USA and all over the world.
- Partnered with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to organize the 2008 Mothers’ Day celebration.
- Established relations with the Iron Matt Foundation to fund patients undergoing treatment for brain tumors.
- Spec It Green Symposium – Guest Panelist Jacob Javits Center, May 2008. Presented RMDH prospective on building maintenance and going green initiatives.
- Nominated to sit on the Morgan Stanley Founders Committee and coordinated In-kind donations to the Hospital Pediatric Department.
Special Projects:
30th Anniversary Celebration
- The Ronald McDonald House of New York held a special 30th Anniversary Celebration on November 12, 2008. It celebrated 30 years of the House’s history with staff, families and volunteers.
Special Videos, archived pictures and a myriad of materials were used to create a historical time line. - On the 9th floor, we presented a video screening gallery. The two outdoor terraces were seasonally decorated. The Dining Room was transformed into a buffet feast with foods from around the world complete with a harpist and a photography exhibit celebrating food-related events. The living room was fashioned into a cocktail lounge supported with a four-piece band. A memorabilia gallery was created to showcase the House's history. Finally, the playroom was transformed into an activity wonderland furnished with candy stations, face painters, magicians, clowns and an origami headdress designer.
- The celebration began in the main lobby of the House, here there was an invocation, speeches from past and present board members.
- The 25,000th family cut the anniversary cake and the opened the event with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
- The Ronald McDonald House also received a Mayoral Proclamation from the City of New York.
Tree of Life
- Completed "Tree of Life" project and oversaw its installation.