RAPHAEL HOUSE HOMELESS FAMILIES boosted by high end interior design philanthropy
16 September 2007CLICK IMAGE FOR VIDEO REPORT BY JESSICA AGUIRRE
Photo by Noble Vision
Raphael House Playroom Rebirth
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BELIEVE IT OR WHAT
BY PAT MURPHY
Sentinel Editor & Publisher
Copyright © 2007 San Francisco Sentinel
San Francisco philanthropy shone this week as privately funded Raphael House received a high-end makeover from some of the classiest design mavens in town.
Teen Room Designed For Comfort and Dignity
Photos by Noble Vision
Newly designed Raphael House Library
Raphael House, for 35-years a residential provider to homeless families, celebrated its new ambience with rising San Francisco personality Sophie Azouaou and Executive Director Father David Lowell joining Mayor Gavin Newsom to cut a red ribbon of renewal.
Interior Designer Azouaou choreographed the project ushering top line design donations to the $80,000 project. Azouaou serves as special projects director for Benefit Magazine, produces a column the Hills News Papers, the East Bay Daily News, Gull’s Call of Alameda, and has contributed to the Sentinel.
Father David Lowell oversees the facility.
“Raphael House has a dedicated staff and Board of Directors from the local community, along with a small core of live-in staff who are Orthodox Christian,” sketched Lowell.
“No religious obligations are placed on the families we serve.
“Raphael House relies solely on private sources to meet its annual budget. Support is received from individuals, businesses and corporations, foundations, church groups, and civic organizations that are committed to promoting stability for at-risk families.
“We do not seek or accept federal, state, or municipal government funding.”
Some 10,000 children so far have been served by Raphael House and more than 12,000 individuals have contributed money and volunteer time.
Donors include Flavia Enrique, Sophie Azouaou, San Francisco Mart General Manager Roseann Carini, Wanda Spangerberg, Margarita Steinhorst, Occhi Tirta, and Nancye Rye.
Photo by Noble Vision
Newsom, a high school basketball aficionado, doffed his mayoral cap to try his hand as mentor.
And officially proclaimed the day engraven as Raphael House Day in San Francisco.
Full tummied kids broke away from their real job of play just long enough to pose with grownups.
See Related: RAPHAEL HOUSE FUNDRAISING ARCHIVE
See Related: PHILANTHROPY
See Related: SOCIAL DIARY
PAT MURPHY
Sentinel Editor & Publisher
In his youth, Pat Murphy worked as a General Assignment reporter for the Richmond Independent, the Berkeley Daily Gazette, and the San Francisco Chronicle. He served as Managing Editor of the St. Albans (Vermont) Daily Messenger at age 21. Murphy also launched ValPak couponing in San Francisco, as the company’s first San Francisco franchise owner. He walked the bricks, developing ad strategy for a broad range of restaurants and merchants. Pat knows what works and what doesn’t work. His writing skill has been employed by marketing agencies, including Don Solem & Associates. He has covered San Francisco governance for the past eleven years. Pat scribes an offbeat opinion column of the human family. Email Pat Murphy at SanFranciscoSentinel@yahoo.com.
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