This year's Giving Hope was a time of celebration and an opportunity to look ahead toward a promising future. We lifted up another successful year of helping families navigate COVID-19 and other challenges. We also celebrated our rebranding to FamilyForward.
Faith Community Homes/FamilyForward hosted its annual fundraiser, Giving Hope, via Zoom on Thursday, October 21. Two months prior, plans to hold an in-person event at Chevy Chase Country Club in Wheeling were scrapped due to an uptick in local COVID-19 cases. We are so very grateful to you, our wonderful supporters and partners, for making this event a success.
Fund Development Chair Jane Drezen and Board Chair Tim Wayman hosted the livestream portion of the event. Highlights of the program included:
Video testimonials from The Ortman Group, Dr. Brian Mendoza of Illinois Spinal Care, Rich Kraybill of Positive Financial Solutions, attorney Pat McMahon of Drost Kivlahan McMahon & O’Connor, and Brian O’Hara, a volunteer on the Giving Hope Planning Committee. It was affirming and encouraging to hear the many reasons people and organizations become involved with and/or financially support our organization.
We debuted our FamilyForward rebranding video, which recalls the organization’s founding in 2003, illustrates how we currently support families, and demonstrates why the time is right to rename and rebrand. Former Board Chair Donna Anderson, Program Manager Sarah Harte, and Tim Wayman are featured in the video. Many thanks to Marketing and Communications Committee Co-Chair Kris Mainellis and husband Scott for producing the piece.
Program Director Sarah Harte conducted a video interview with “M,” an October 2021 graduate of the two-year program. Read the interview here.
Tim Wayman gave a tribute to retiring Executive Director Chuck Warner for his 12 years of extraordinary service to the organization.
Both a silent auction and “Fund the Need” appeal were open for bidding and donations from October 17 through the end of the event. The “Fund the Need” appeal asked supporters to donate at various dollar levels from $50-$2,500 to directly assist families in the program.
We also received a considerable number of donations from supporters unable to attend. A special shout-out to event sponsors and in-kind auction donors. As a result of everyone’s commitment and dedication to the cause, we raised over $50,000 for families in our program.
Even a 45-minute virtual event takes considerable coordination and effort. Thank you to Madison Anderson and her team at Nonprofit Learning Lab for helping to produce and present the virtual fundraiser. Kudos to the Ortman Group, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Starck Real Estate, for soliciting items for, and organizing the online, silent auction. Finally, congratulations to Fund Development Chair Jane Drezen and her Giving Hope Planning Committee for developing content and overall management of the event.
Hope to see you in person next year!