Raphael House Gala A Sold-Out Success

Apr 23 2015
Raphael House

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“A Grand Special Night of Magic” at the Palace Hotel raises record funds for families experiencing or at risk of homelessness

Our 18th Annual One Home, Many Hearts Gala was a sold-out success that attracted more than 500 guests on Saturday to the elegant Palace Hotel in downtown San Francisco. Gala co-chairs Melissa Koerner and Laura Larsen and their powerhouse committee raised $610,000 for Raphael House families this year, making the event our highest-grossing fundraiser to date. We are grateful to our premier sponsors Audi and Pacific Gas and Electric Company and to each and every one of our corporate sponsors, family sponsors, in kind donors, and volunteers for making this event possible. And we are thankful for and inspired by the outpouring of generosity from everyone who attended and participated in the event, and to Jessica and Jason Moment for matching the first $50,000 raised during the fund-a-need portion of the evening. 1276-RaphaelHouse-150418 Guests enjoyed a lively reception replete with the smooth sounds of Bay Area Jazz singer and former Raphael House resident Amanda King and a mesmerizing performance by a contortionist. During dinner, KCBS Foodie Chap and long-time Raphael House supporter Liam Mayclem entertained the crowd as emcee, and Magician Patrick Martin dazzled the audience with help from two lovely assistants: Raphael House Board Members  Lauren Eastman and Jessica Moment. 1218-RaphaelHouse-150418 2253-RaphaelHouse-150418.forWeb The bidding kicked off with some fun when auctioneer Abra Sills brought Olympic Gold Medalist Kristi Yamaguchi up on the stage to sign and auction off her scarf, which sold for $1,700. Guests bid generously on various lifestyle packages such as a once-in-a-life time week of luxury accommodation at the Abbadia Celestina in Umbria that sold for $33,000 and exciting culinary packages such as a private 5-course dinner prepared for 8 by MasterChef Junior Finalist Sam Stromberg that sold twice for $13,000 total. Guests were moved when former Raphael House resident Hector and his two sons joined the stage, following an emotional video about their time at Raphael House, to speak to the crowd about how the experience and ongoing support has helped them achieve stability. A Place to Stand from Raphael House on Vimeo. 1813-RaphaelHouse-150418.forWeb Proceeds from the One Home, Many Hearts Gala will support Raphael House’s mission by contributing directly to our operating budget. As we continue to expand our programs during part two of our Foundations for Families Campaign—to increase the number of families we serve from 300 to 500, by 2017—the Gala has also played a crucial role in building awareness about family homelessness in our community and the need for additional services. 1013-RaphaelHouse-150418 1008-RaphaelHouse-150418 1284-RaphaelHouse-150418 1194-RaphaelHouse-150418 1882-RaphaelHouse-150418 0289-RaphaelHouse-150418 0607-RaphaelHouse-150418 0333-RaphaelHouse-150418 2749-RaphaelHouse-150418.forWeb 2758-RaphaelHouse-150418 To view the full collection of photos from the event, visit Drew Altizer Photography. The One Home, Many Hearts Gala was made possible by our premier sponsors: Audi and Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Additional corporate sponsors included: Advantest, Barneys New York, Bell Investment Advisors, British-American Business Council, DPEM Event Marketing, Erin Lampe Design, Genesys, Hanson Bridgett, Issima! Public Relations, Jones Day, Lennar Urban, Pacific Union Community Fund, R3 Builders, RINA Accountancy Corporation, Riviera Partners, Technology Credit Union, Treana, Union Square Advisors, Vinyl Interactive, White & Case, and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Foundation. Our family sponsors included:  Anonymous, Susan Atherton, The Kampmann Family, The Koerner Family, Susan and Niels Larsen, The Moment Family, The Smith Family, and The Volpi Family. For a full list of everyone who supported the event, visit our One Home, Many Hearts Gala event page.  

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