City of Hope Support Chapters Raise $9 Million

City of Hope launched the new year with more than $9 million turned in from support chapters at its first roll call of 1991, held Jan. 6 at the Beverly Hilton. Voluntary contributions from support chapters throughout Southern California are turned in four times a year. Funds go toward the medical center’s annual operating budget of $175 million for programs dealing with patient care, scientific research and medical education in major diseases such as leukemia and other forms of cancer. City of Hope began in 1913 with $135, enough to erect two tents in Duarte. The medical center is now housed on a 102-acre site there.

* Friends of Foster Children, San Gabriel, received a $1,000 check from the Santa Anita Foundation at a Jan. 17 luncheon at the racetrack’s Turf Club. Proceeds represent profits from five charity days during the 1989-1990 Santa Anita racing season.

* Sick Children’s Trust received a $7,000 gift celebrating “Phantom of the Opera” star Michael Crawford’s birthday. Crawford is president of the British charity, which provides housing for parents of acutely ill children. Approximately 250 Michael Crawford fan club members were at the Jan. 19 reception at the Music Center for the check presentation. Donations were collected world-wide from members of the fan club.

* Inner-City Arts Adopt-A-Class received a $30,000 donation from Yutaro Hayashi, chairman of Mitsui Manufacturers Bank at a Dec. 2 event. The bank’s gift will be used for unrestricted operating support. The adopt-a-class program is supported in part by a grant from the Los Angeles City Cultural Affairs Department.

* Jay Nolan Center for Autistic Children was the recipient of more than $35,000 from the Mr. and Mrs. Club at an Oct. 20 dinner dance at the Sportsmen’s Lodge. The club was founded in 1959 to assist charities. Proceeds will help with the Nolan center’s ongoing services, including educational programs and group homes for autistic children.

* United Jewish Fund/Israel Emergency Fund raised $6.2 million during the Super Sunday Phone-a-Thon Feb. 3. More than 5,000 volunteers made 50,000 calls during the day-long event to raise funds to help to feed the hungry and for workshops and vocational training for the disabled, for summer camps for children, for counseling for teens and for other programs in the Greater Los Angeles area, in Israel and throughout the world.

* Los Angeles Arts Council held a luncheon Nov. 17 honoring Mayor Tom Bradley, Quincy Jones, Rita Moreno and Ed Ruscha at the Beverly Hilton. Net proceeds of $25,000 will be used for scholarships to youth and for ongoing operating costs of the council.

* LIFE (Love Is Feeding Everyone) celebrated the grand opening of Central Park West in Brentwood Nov. 29 with an “Evening of Senses” featuring entertainment, an auction and New York street vendors. The evening netted $2,500 to benefit the hungry. Central Park West owner Reto Ryffel hosted the party.

* United Cerebral Palsy Foundation scored a $500 donation from the “Celebrity Shootout” Jan. 20, held during halftime of the Harlem Globetrotters 65th Anniversary World Tour game at the Great Western Forum. The “Harlem Met Hollywood” celebrity players were Mel Harris, Marsha Warfield, Alan Rachins, Jason Hervey, Dawnn Lewis, Mayam Bialik and Thomas Hearns. Proceeds will be used for ongoing research.