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2024 HHF Gala: Highlights and Impact

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On Saturday, October 5th, we held our annual HHF Gala, presented by Rebich Investments. Esteemed guests arrived elegantly dressed and ready for a glamorous evening.

The HHF team worked collaboratively with LUXE Creative to design the Gala program. Our goal was to highlight the foundation’s full body of work.

Anyone who knows us, however, knows that underneath our “Four C’s” framework is an immense collection of wide-reaching initiatives. Trying to squeeze a highlight reel of each “C” into a gala presentation (or a newsletter, for that matter) is no easy feat!

Yet, we were determined to try. Audiences at the Gala heard our Four C's at a breakneck pace. Here, we offer the chance to slow down and get to know them better.

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CLINICAL EXCELLENCE

Pediatrics

  • Our official partnership with UPMC Children's Hospital Foundation (UCHF) has launched! This groundbreaking collaboration benefits local families by advancing and expanding pediatric clinical care at UPMC Hamot through our Children's Care Fund.
  • Rachel Petrucelli, President of UCHF, and Karen Depperman, VP of Development, attended the Gala, pictured below with HHF's Mark Louis.

Cancer Care

  • Mike Martin launched the Sandra Lynn Martin Cancer Fund at HHF in memory of his late wife who lost her battle with breast cancer. Since then, Mike's generosity has helped innumerable local women cover their personal expenses, like mortgage payments, during their fight against breast cancer. As our admiration of Mike's philanthropy grows, so too does the SLM Fund's immense impact in our community.
  • The Erie Otters hockey club is on the scoreboard! In partnership with HHF, the Erie Otters are undefeated in making a difference in the lives of local cancer patients. We netted a great opportunity to celebrate our collaboration with the Otters at this year's Gala.

CUTTING EDGE RESEARCH

Michael Annichine, president of Magee-Women's Research Institute (MWRI), shared how this pioneering organization is advancing women's health research - from the shores of Lake Erie to around the globe.

  • MWRI's only satellite campus is in Erie, and more than 1,100 women in our community have participated in studies.
  • MWRI researchers have developed a vaccine for breast cancer, which is in clinical trials today.
  • MWRI is solving the world's most pressing questions in women's health and some of that work is happening right here in Erie.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

UPMC Jameson School of Nursing

  • Students took a well-deserved break and let their hair down at this year's Gala, dancing the night away and even joining a flash mob.
  • When these students graduate in December 2024, the nursing school will have educated 177 new nurses, many of whom are now employed by UPMC Hamot.
  • HHF has provided over $500,000 in scholarships to nursing students since 2019.

Construction Trades (Erie Center for Arts & Technology)

  • Aaron Holman is a talented performer who has participated in our Gala entertainment since 2019.
  • Through the Gala experiences, he learned about ECAT. He is now a proud construction trades program graduate.
  • After graduation, he secured a full-time job for an Erie-based concrete company.
  • Aaron's story is one of many that show the meaningful outcomes of educational collaboration between HHF, ECAT, and the Erie County Community College.

COMMUNITY HEALTH

Daria Devlin, HHF's Director of Social Impact and BUILD CDC's Executive Director, handily took the microphone away from Boo Hagerty. (Is anyone else still chuckling over her saying, "Sit down, Boo!"?) Once Boo was seated, she offered the crowd a surefooted explanation of our recent community-focused projects:

  • BUILD CDC acquired the former Erie School District property with plans to catapult Erie's permanent support housing and workforce housing efforts.
  • There are additional properties in various stages of acquisition by BUILD CDC.
  • A UPMC Neighborhood Center lease was signed with local property owners on East Avenue. These owners, Sean and Kenya Johnson, attended their first Gala this year.
  • A Remote Area Medical (RAM) Clinic held in September served hundreds of patients, providing nearly $180,000 of free health care.
  • ECAT's Pay-What-You-Can farmers market, supported through a grant from HHF, connected individuals with produce throughout the summer. The ECAT Market inspired others to adopt a pay-what-you-can structure, further expanding access to nutritious and affordable food across the city of Erie.

Generosity advances our work. As we continue on our mission, your trust in us is invaluable. It sparks our creativity, fuels our commitment, and creates momentum toward a healthier Erie.

To our colleagues, friends, and partners, thank you for an unforgettable evening celebrating the glow of philanthropy in our community.

Sincerely,

the HHF team

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