Benioffs raise hospital funds
The technicalities of Salesforce.com soar way above our head. But that whole cloud computing thing must be working out rather well.
Last week at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, Salesforce.com founder Marc Benioff and his wife, philanthropist Lynne Benioff, under the aegis of Salesforce. com Foundation, raised a very healthy $4.3 mil to support completion of the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital at Mission Bay.
“We’re on time and on budget,” enthused UCSF CEO Mark Laret of the $600 million, 289-bed, state-of-the-art complex for children, women and cancer patients. “And we’re just down to raising $195 million for our February 2015 opening.”
That’s in addition to the Benioffs’ personal donation of $100 million to the hospital. And on the heels of last week’s $10 million, five-year pledge by Salesforce.com Foundation to the Exploratorium and such lifechanging organizations as Year Up, S.F. General Hospital Foundation and Southeast Health Center in the Bayview, Potrero Hill and Visitacion Valley neighborhoods.
Oh, and in the middle of it all, Benioff hosted his 10th Dreamforce conference, which attracted 90,000 attendees, who, in addition to supping and shopping, also volunteered their time here to the American Red Cross, park cleanups and building bikes for kids.
But we couldn’t help but wonder if, once the hospital is completed, might the Benioffs cease this fundraising event?
“I don’t plan to. The power of this concert is because it happens during Dreamforce. So when a vendor buys a booth, we invite them to support the hospital,” Benioff said. “An important component of our conference now includes UCSF-led panels.”
“There’s always work to be done,” agreed Lynne Benioff, “especially in medical research.”
And 2,800 guests, ponying up anywhere from $250 to $250,000, were treated to myriad delights at the Concert for UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, which featured a stellar set by almost EssEff native and beloved comedian Dana Carvey and a rousing performance by Lady Antebellum, the members ( Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley, Dave Haywood) of which were so inspired by the hope and determination of UCSF’s youngest patients after an earlier visit at the Parnassus campus, they donated a portion of their concert fee to the hospital.
Expertly organized by UCSF Director of Special Events & Communications Kelley O’Brien, the auditorium’s cavernous confines were transformed into chic lounge seating by Radeff Design Studio, and its hallways teemed with gourmet Paula LeDuc buffets.
But wait — that’s not all! Post-concert, these faithful flocked to City Hall, where the foundation and tech titan Ron Conway, his wife, Gayle Conway, and their family hosted a rollicking post-party starring MC Hammer, will.i.am and more LeDuc goodies.
Other enthusiasts included UCSF Chancellor Sue Desmond-Hellmann; Mayor Ed Lee; Marc’s mom, Joelle Benioff, and his sister and brother-in-law, Julie and Adam Young; Lt. Gov.
Gavin Newsom; Dreamforce keynote speaker
Tony Robbins; Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman; Bebo co-founders Xochi and Michael Birch; Suzanne Levit; Alexis and Trevor Traina; Another Planet impresario Gregg Perloff; Salesforce.com Foundation Director Suzanne DiBianca; Dr. Sam Hawgood, dean of UCSF’s School of Medicine; all four UCSF Benioff endowed chairs, Dr. Louann Brizendine, Dr. Larry Rand, Dr. James Ostroff and Dr. Robert Wachter; and retired Gen. Colin Powell, who presented the event’s UCSF Gen. Colin Powell Medal of Courage.
“When they asked us to attend, I thought we were giving an award to a UCSF nurse or doctor,” said SFFD Chief Joanne Hayes-White. “UCSF and its staff are very dear to our family’s heart, and we are forever indebted to them.”
However, this year’s award honored her 13year-old son, Sean White, who was born with a rare heart defect and endured annual surgeries and hospitalizations until he was 9.
“I hope someday to give back to UCSF Hospital,” said the healthy St. Stephen’s Elementary School seventh-grader, who now enjoys baseball and soccer with his pals. “I’ll never forget all the doctors, nurses and staff who helped me get better and make a full recovery after each surgery. I owe my life to them.”