SAN FRANCISCO — Local rock band Train is set to perform and be honored in the 39th annual gala of Family House San Francisco —a non-profit organization —that will take place on Saturday, November 14.
Family House is an organization that gives temporary accommodations to families of children undergoing treatment at University of California San Francisco Benioff Children’s Hospital. The goal of their institution is to provide relatives with a caring environment and a community while their kids are at the hospital. Each year they organize a gala to raise funds, and this year’s Rock The House Gala will honor multi-Grammy Award-winning band Train and their singer Pat Monahan. Officials from Family House said they wanted to recognize the group’s longtime support and dedication to their efforts.
“All of us at Family House owe so much to Pat Monahan and Train,” said Family House CEO Alexandra Morgan. “For many years, Pat and the entire Train team have been so incredibly generous to our families, our staff, and our community. Family House would not be here without their support and we are so proud to now honor Pat and the band for everything they have done and continue to do for all of us at Family House.”
Train has visited the organization multiple times to volunteer and play music for the families. In 2011, the band launched “Save Me, San Francisco Wine Company” and they donate money raised from this project to Family House. In 2016, all the profits from “Train Does Led Zeppelin ll” cover album went to the organization as well. The money that has been raised served to build the Train Music Room in Family House, in which kids and families like to hang out, according to the organization.
“Helping and relating to children has always been a priority for us (Train). We were kids ourselves when we started Train, and played in coffee shops in and around San Francisco – and now we all have children of our own,” said Train’s statement in their wine company website. “Because of that, the fact that some of us have experience our children being in hospital NICU’s and our San Francisco roots, we like the best way for us to give back is with the Family House Organization. Being a local cause and helping kids and their families when they need it the most is something we profoundly admire and there’s not a more caring staff from the top down.”
This year’s gala seeks to raise funds that according to Marshall Lamm, spokesperson for Family House, will give them the possibility to house over 80 families per night. The gala coincides with Train’s debut of a new wine varietal that they made in collaboration with winemaker James Foster.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Rock the House will be hosted virtually Saturday, Nov. 14 at 6:30 p.m.
“Each year we honor someone who has made an impact on the families. Honorees have included Nancy and Stephen Grand and others,” Lamm told the San Francisco News.
Train will also perform during the gala which will feature other activities. Radio and TV personality Liam Mayclem will be the master of ceremonies.
According to Lamm, Family House has been greatly impacted by COVID-19.
“There are no group meals, no volunteers to clean or cook for the families, and social distancing makes our compassionate services very difficult to administer,” he said. The gala seeks to free some of the financial concerns that the organization is facing due to the pandemic.
