Family House San Francisco’s “Superbloom Gala 2024”

The event raised $1.1 million to help children with cancer and life-threatening illnesses and honored Edwin Icban, Mary Kane, Barbara Morgenthau, Lael Robertson, Susan Ruhne & Selina Tobaccowala

Family House San Francisco held their annual gala fundraiser “Superbloom Gala 2024” on Saturday, May 18, 2024 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in San Francisco. The 42nd annual event honored a group of dedicated volunteers and raised $1.1 million to help children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

Since 1981, Family House San Francisco has provided free housing and basic needs for the families of seriously ill young patients being treated at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital. Located in San Francisco’s Mission Bay neighborhood, Family House San Francisco is a five-story, 80-bedroom facility that houses more than 250 people per night and over 4,000 people a year. Family House San Francisco has become so much more than just a place to stay for the more than 60,000 families served in its more than 40-year history – it’s a home away from home, and a supportive community dedicated to providing a caring environment for the entire family while their child is undergoing treatment.

This year’s Gala honored Edwin Icban, Mary Kane, Barbara Morgenthau, Lael Robertson, Susan Ruhne, and Selina Tobaccowal. They are volunteers who showed unwavering commitment to Family House San Francisco during the COVID pandemic. These individuals were essential to the organization’s mission, going above and beyond to contribute extra care and services during such an uncertain time. Donned in full PPE, these people hand delivered meals to every room and stocked the pantries to ensure food insecurity was not a concern for families. Bringing virtual activities, like bingo and scavenger hunts, to the house meant that families were still able to participate in fun activities. Collectively, this group has contributed over 2,000 hours of their time to support families staying at Family House San Francisco.

Co-Chaired by Orly Petri and Randi Saffian, “Superbloom Gala 2024” featured exclusive wines, a special dinner, curated live auction with once in a lifetime experiences, live music, and more. All event proceeds funded direct services provided to families, including temporary housing, meals, and amenities for families with a child being treated for cancer or other life-threatening illnesses. All services are offered 100% free of charge.