Seattle Children’s Hospital Guild Association is the largest all-volunteer fundraising network in the country, comprised of 450 guilds with 6,200 members across the state. In 2012, these guilds helped raise $10.6 million for Seattle Children’s to support uncompensated care, hospital programs and research – including Snoqualmie Valley’s own Project Grace Guild.
After just seven years of working passionately to support Seattle Children’s, Project Grace was recognized this week by the Hospital Guild Association as ‘Guild of the Year.” Members say they wouldn’t have received the honor if not for the continued support of family, friends and the community.
Project Grace Guild was founded in 2007 by a group of eight women, all friends and neighbors, who were inspired at a fundraising event hosted by another Seattle Children’s Guild.
They realized their own lives had all been personally touched by Seattle Children’s and saw the positive impact made by individuals who donated time and energy to supporting the hospital’s goal of providing care to every child – regardless of their family’s ability to pay.
The eight friends were called to action and Project Grace Guild was born, committed to supporting Seattle Children’s Hospital and a continued legacy of giving – for children and their families.
Guild member Stephanie Britton explained, “After the illness and accidents of some of our children, it became very clear that we needed to give something back. Our families were so blessed by the wonderful care we received at Seattle Children’s. We felt it our responsibility to do something to pay it forward.”
Project Grace Guild has grown tremendously in just eight years, and now has eighteen Snoqualmie Valley members. Its annual dinner auction has grown, too. In fact, the $150,000 raised at its May 1st auction event, ‘An Evening in Central Park,’ was the guild’s most successful fundraising event to date.
Project Grace Mission:
The mission of Project Grace is to raise money to help make a positive difference in the lives of children treated at Seattle Children’s Hospital. They work within the local community in fundraising efforts, specifically focused on making donations to support uncompensated care.
The consistent operations of the guild include, but are not limited to:
- Fundraising events (Boeing Classic kids’ snack stand, auction, raffle, calendars etc)
- Monthly meeting to coordinate events
- Soliciting local retailers to encourage philanthropic giving
- Providing an annual holiday meal at the Ronald McDonald House
