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Garden Grove Strawberry Festival Association (GGSFA), producers of the venerable FREE Garden Grove Strawberry Festival held annually every Memorial Day Weekend, is set to continue their support of the Orange County Ronald McDonald House with the completion of their $50,000 pledge in 2023.
The Orange County Ronald McDonald House and Ronald McDonald Family Rooms provide a comforting “home away from home” for the families of seriously ill children receiving treatment in Orange County hospitals. Since their opening in 1989, the House has adjusted to a changing ratio in care for children from almost all cancer-related stays to about an even split between families with children who need cancer treatments and those that need neonatal care, which together account for about 70% of those who stay at the House.
The Garden Grove Strawberry Festival Association has been a longtime supporter of the Orange County Ronald McDonald House, helping to fund many of their initiatives and projects since the house’s inception in 1989. Some of their past financial contributions throughout the years include:
- 1989 – $25,000
- 1995 – $2,167.93
- 2007 – $1,248.79
- 2009 – $3,460
- 2011 – $2,172.42
“Garden Grove Strawberry Festival is truly about community. In addition to the joy they bring to thousands at the festival, they make a difference by supporting the work of charities such as Ronald McDonald House,” said Noel Burcelis, Executive Director of Ronald McDonald House Orange County. “They supported the building of the Orange County House over 32 years ago and have come back to support our expansion efforts to more than double our capacity in 2023. Thank you Garden Grove Strawberry Festival for supporting our mission to provide care, comfort, and support to families with seriously-ill children and for making a difference!”
By the time this project is completed, the Garden Grove Strawberry Festival will have donated almost $85,000 to support the efforts of Ronald McDonald House OC. This is indicative of a larger theme and motivation behind the Festival Association, which is to support philanthropic initiatives within Garden Grove. In the last 3 years (excluding the pandemic period), the Festival Association has donated over $341,000 to groups providing services to Garden Grove families, including:
- Garden Grove Boys and Girls Club
- Thomas House Family Shelter
- Garden Grove Lions Club
- Garden Grove Elks #1952
- H.O.P.E. (Helping Others Prepare for Eternity)
- Garden Grove Assistance League
- Healthy Aging Center: Acacia
“With the Ronald McDonald house in our backyard, our decision to support this project has been an easy one,” said Andrea Perez, 2023 President of the Garden Grove Strawberry Festival Association. “Not only do they provide shelter and services to Garden Grove Families, but they also serve families throughout Southern California who have seriously ill children. It is an honor and a privilege to be able to touch the lives of so many families who have a need to stay at this supportive house.”
Save the dates for the 63rd Annual Garden Grove Strawberry Festival, to be held Friday through Monday, May 26 – 29, 2023 on the Village Green, located at Euclid Street and Main Street in Garden Grove, CA.
To learn more about the Garden Grove Strawberry Festival, please visit https://strawberryfestival.org/.
