Festival of Children Foundation’s Carousel of Possible Dreams Initiative Nears $4 Million in Total Funds Raised

Latest Program Expansion with Global Genes Raises Over $250,000 for 32 Rare Disease Charities on World Rare Disease Day in San Francisco

 

COSTA MESA and SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (Mar. 5, 2018) – Since 2009, Festival of Children Foundation, a national non-profit organization that supports and promotes collaboration among nearly 500 U.S. children’s charities, has raised $3.9 million for children’s causes through its innovative Carousel of Possible Dreams program, which centralizes and optimizes the efforts of multiple charities into one fundraising initiative. Working with Global Genes, a leading rare disease patient advocacy organization, the program recently expanded to San Francisco, raising more than $250,000 to fund the specific “dreams” or needs of 32 rare disease organizations on World Rare Disease Day, February 28. The final total is expected to increase as the charities, located across the country, complete their local fundraising programs on March 15.

 

Since inception, The Carousel of Possible Dreams has funded 184 dreams, such as programs for at-risk youth, scholarships for disadvantaged children, creating safe homes, and funding medical research. The collaborative events have been held in Central Park in New York City; on the Eden Palais, a spectacular 19th Century European Salon Carousel housed at the private Sanfilippo Estate in Barrington Hills, Illinois; Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif.; Griffith Park in Los Angeles; and at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, California. The event in San Francisco was held aboard the historic LeRoy King carousel at the Children’s Creativity Museum. “At the core of our Carousel of Possible Dreams initiative is the opportunity to amplify fundraising efforts through collaboration and unity,” said Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, founder and executive director, Festival of Children Foundation. “Working with Global Genes, a truly outstanding patient advocacy organization, the first RARE Carousel of Possible Dreams surpassed our fundraising goals. The 32 rare disease organizations really put their hearts and souls into the effort and we applaud their determination to find the therapies and cures to help their loved ones.”

 

Among the attendees were Nicole Boice, founder and CEO, Global Genes, and Madison McLaughlin, actress from CW’s “Arrow” and “Supernatural “and Global Genes ambassador and rare disease advocate. Several other celebrities supported the event on social media, including fitness model Shaka Smith, and two-time double-lung transplant survivor and author, Travis Flores.

 

“We are so honored to have partnered with an exceptional organization that continuously gives back to children and families around the country,” said Nicole Boice, CEO Global Genes. “This is an important time for the rare community. It takes an event like this to help the world take notice, and grow the much-needed support. We’re happy to be a part of something so amazing, and do our part to help expand engagement and involvement around the globe.” World Rare Disease Day is an annual observance to help raise awareness about are disease and the impact of living with a rare disease on patients, families, and caregivers. Global Genes raises awareness throughout entire month of February, with the final day of the month recognized as World Rare Disease Day. During the month, Global Genes and rare disease advocates worldwide hosted awareness and fundraising events for the more than 7,000 rare diseases.

 

About Global Genes

Global Genes is a leading rare disease patient advocacy organization whose mission is to connect, empower, and inspire the rare disease community. With international scope, Global Genes develops educational resources, programs, and events that unite patients, advocates, and industry experts. It is committed to fostering these meaningful connections to catalyze therapeutics and cures for the estimated 7,000 rare diseases that impact approximately 1 in 10 Americans, and 350 million people worldwide. For more information, please visit www.globalgenes.org and follow @GlobalGenes on social media to join the RARE conversation!

 

About Festival of Children Foundation

Founded in 2003 by businesswoman and children’s advocate Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, Costa Mesa, California-based Festival of Children Foundation is a national, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that serves to bring together a diverse, national community of children’s charitable organizations to collaborate, access resources, share knowledge, focus their efforts, and ultimately work together to improve the lives of children. With committed funding covering 100% of administrative expenses, every dollar raised by the organization goes directly to helping these charities thrive through innovative programs and services, including free professional training, financial support, and programs and events to help raise awareness and funds for individual missions.

 

Festival of Children Foundation has built a network of nearly 500 charities across the nation that serve millions of children each year, each with a diverse mission yet with a common goal of improving the lives of children. The foundation is also behind National Child Awareness Month, a U.S. Senate-based designation serving as a rallying call throughout September to U.S children’s charities, their benefactors and supporters, and the public to set aside their individual agendas to raise awareness and inspire action for all children’s causes.
www.festivalofchildren.org

 

Contact: Cassady Taylor
Festival of Children Foundation
(714) 438 – 3205
ctaylor@festivalofchildren.org

 

Download Press Release