**Photo courtesy Rancho Los Amigos Foundation.**

What happens when one of Downey’s landmark fundraisers, given on behalf of a beloved institution, is canceled at the last minute?

“Our annual Amistad Gala,” said Deborah Arroyo, “that was scheduled for March 21, 2020, has historically been the foundation’s largest fundraiser of the year with more than 300 guests in attendance, was cancelled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Occasions like this are mainly a time for friends to meet, raise philanthropic dollars, and treat themselves to a well-earned celebration of the accomplishments of the past year. One of the secrets to “what makes Downey work,” is that so many local volunteer organizations come together to help. But this year they were not able to.

“While all of our Amistad sponsors were so generous,” said Deb, the executive director of the foundation, “and insisted that we retain their donation, we still find ourselves facing a $50,000 deficit because we had to cancel the event. The proceeds are entirely in support of patient programs.”

It’s the Foundation’s largest fundraiser of the year, held in the ballroom of the Westin Hotel in Long Beach. The theme of last year’s glamorous festivities was Black and White, and Deborah was resplendent in gauzy black tulle, greeting everyone as hostess.

Also welcoming guests in wheelchair, tux and black tie, was Gilbert Salinas, Chief Clinical Officer at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center.

To be in a chair at Rancho is to be one of the stars of the show. The Foundation is proud of the mobility in recovering patients, and everyone admires the strength and will power that makes such success possible.

This is the important part: in 1983 when volunteers organized the Rancho Los Amigos Foundation, its purpose was to see that patients receive treatments and programs that are not funded by insurance. And to bring them programs outside of their financial means and not within the county budget.

Now the Rancho Los Amigos Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with two full-time staff members. Twelve individuals serve on the Foundation’s volunteer board of directors, and its mission is to restore health, rebuild life, and revitalize hope for persons with a life-changing illness, injury, or disability such as stroke or spinal injury.

“We have been attending Amistad since 1991,” said Beverly Mathis, “and we have never missed a year. I first was involved on the planning committee in 2009 and then I chaired the event for several years. As for a ‘most touching’ moment we would have to say that miracles happen every day at Rancho and just being involved becomes a truly inspirational experience.”

Bev is a longtime Soroptimist, married to Sam Mathis, of the Downey Optimists. Optimist Club was the honoree at the 199l Amistad Gala, and genial table host Sam Mathis has been active with the Foundation for 40 years.

“Sam has said that seeing the smiling faces of the pediatric patients when they receive a balloon is worth a million dollars,” said Bev.

With donors large and small, the foundation for almost four decades has helped provide patient-centered services and programs each fiscal year (July 1st – June 30th); the Rancho Los Amigos Foundation provides more than $550,000 for patients who have suffered spiral cord injury, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and other neurological disorders.

“Typically, at the ball,” said Deb, “we have a silent auction, and the highlight of the evening is Fund-A-Miracle. Guests offer to fund a miracle from a list of possibilities, and they plan ahead for their bid. Bidders attach small adhesive tabs with their personal bidding number to a fingernail to signal a bid.”

By raising a hand, a runner is summoned to record the offer and solidify the “bid.” Cool.

For $1,000, one could fund someone in adult arts, robotic work, or help a child with cerebral palsy who has special wheelchair needs. Five hundred dollars sends someone to wheelchair basketball camp, and that is a wickedly rugged game. Players have to be fit. $250 pays for a Wellness Center scholarship.

There are also sponsorships on all levels and a continual slide show highlights close-ups of the patients’ faces as they get to enjoy much needed recreational experiences.

The Rancho Los Amigos Foundation provides financial support to the Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Hospital, with year-round programs that help the thousands of patients treated at Rancho each year, like free wheelchair New Year’s day parties on the outdoor patio, or art classes for stroke or amputee victims who learn to use the other side of their brain.

The Amistad Gala has a long lasting and deep impact on the work that Rancho does to return patients to their family, school or job, and to a dignified quality of life. Downeyites have long contributed by attending the annual black-tie Amistad Gala evening.

To help meet the needs of the hospital’s diverse disabled population are small and personalized projects like wooden spoons hand-carved to fit around a patient’s hand and paralyzed fingers. Stroke patients can feed themselves from specially mounted trays mounted like an artist’s palette on a table. On the far end of the rainbow of possibilities, research is being funded for a robotic machine that is able to get in sync with the human brain.

So many activities are going on at the foundation, that interested volunteers can find something to join. The Volunteer Office also welcomes help.

The foundation is supported by events like this; private donations small and large; as well as county grants through Supervisor Janice Hahn’s Office; grants from foundations like Hoag and Annenberg; and the LA County Department of Arts and Culture.

So, what happens when the Foundation’s major fundraiser is cancelled?

“The Rancho Los Amigos Foundation has found more and more ways,” said Deb, “to help our Rancho Los Amigos family get through the stress of this pandemic. During the Covid-19 pandemic the board and the staff have been successfully meeting via conference calls.”

“Through partnerships and donations,” Deb said, “from various local restaurants and our own vendors, the foundation has been arranged food donations for the hospital’s frontline staff, the physicians, nurses, therapists, etc. multiple times a week.”

Deb singled out for mention McCarthy Building Companies, NBBJ Architects, Criterion, and Vegin’ Out.

“The Rancho Foundation continues to work full time,” says Deb, “to make sure that for each and every patient, the programs they rely on go uninterrupted.”

Rancho Foundation marches forward despite Amistad Ball cancellation