HavenHouse St. Louis Breaks Fundraising and Attendance Records at HopeFest 2012

ST. LOUIS, MO. | February 24, 2012 –today announced that it raised a record-breaking $200,000 at its 7th annual HopeFest gala held on Saturday, February 18. The event is the primary fundraising vehicle to help cover operational costs incurred at HavenHouse’s 25,000-square-foot facility, and this year’s festivities came close nearly doubling the dollars raised at HopeFest two years ago in 2010. Volunteers and staff welcomed 380 supporters, 100 more than in 2011, to the ballroom inside the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Clayton to enjoy cocktails, dinner and live and silent auctions.

 “It is both humbling and exciting to see support for HavenHouse grow each year,” said Kathy Sindel, Executive Director, HavenHouse St. Louis. “We know this incredible fundraising accomplishment will allow us to welcome and serve even more families who come to us in their time of need.”

 The funds raised at HopeFest will help to ensure that families who travel to St. Louis for medical care have a place to call home, hot meals and a caring staff while dealing with sometimes unimaginable circumstances.

 Peggy and Mike Giertz—the parents of a child who fought but ultimately lost his battle with bone cancer—spoke to attendees during HopeFest about how the staff at HavenHouse St. Louis cared for them and their son, Jordan, in the final months of his life.

 They also sat down for an interview about their experience at HavenHouse in this video shared just before the live auction: http://vimeo.com/36860645

 “HavenHouse just opens the door to everybody with loving arms,” said Peggy. “This place just made Jordan’s life easier.”

 The Giertz family is just one of the more than 3,000 that travel to St. Louis for medical care provided by any one of the region’s renowned hospitals. These out-of-town patients and their families stay at HavenHouse—a home away from home in a relaxing environment, with emotional support and warm meals—all at minimal cost at a time when finances are inevitably strained. In some cases, accommodations are free.

 In addition to a traditional silent auction and an exciting live auction, this gala, emceed by , President and CEO of , also featured a “Fund-A-Family” round of bidding, which raised more than $46,000, a 33 percent increase from 2011.

HavenHouse also awarded YouthBridge Community Foundation the inaugural 2012 Community Partnership Award for their generosity and support over the years.  The night ended with a generous gift from Centene Corporation. Centene pledged $50,000 to support The Meghan Fund, a fund which helps financially-strapped families with long-term stays at HavenHouse.

To provide additional dollars throughout the year, HavenHouse St. Louis works with a Board of Directors and a Young Professionals Board, both of which conduct fundraising and networking events, including an annual Trivia Night held in the fall.

For more information on HavenHouse St. Louis, please visit www.havenhousestl.org or “Like” HavenHouse on Facebook.

About HavenHouse St. Louis

With the mission to provide the comfort of home and a community of support for families traveling to St. Louis, HavenHouse has earned an international reputation for service and care. HavenHouse exists because St. Louis is a hub of technological advances in medicine and draws people worldwide for its excellence in medical care.

Conveniently located in West County, HavenHouse sits on 19 acres owned by YouthBridge Community Foundation. The building is 25,000 square feet, consisting of 32 spacious bedrooms, all with private baths. HavenHouse operates 24 hours daily, 365 days per year, so that families can arrive for check-in at any time of the day or night and may make future reservations up to one year in advance.