Annual Report2014

The Casa Esperanza team acknowledges our gratitude to the many individuals who have blended their unique talents over the last 22 years, to build a strong foundation of HOPE and create a “Home away from Home” for the more than 35,000 families facing cancer and other serious medical illnesses.

As the seasons change here at Casa Esperanza, I introduce myself as the new Executive Director. I have been a part of the Casa Esperanza team for four years. These are the values that light the path in my life; love, enthusiasm, honesty, compassion, laughter, family, gratitude and making a difference in the world. It is a privilege for me to share these qualities, every day, with the staff and residents at Casa Esperanza.

As Casa Esperanza continues to thrive and evolve, we are given a daily opportunity to release the old, transform the new and to find better ways to support and enrich the lives of each family. With excellence we strive to be the best hospitality house in New Mexico.

Woodrow Wilson reminded us many years ago, “You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and

I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to serve Casa Esperanza as a volunteer and Board member for over 6 years now. I can’t be more proud of the staff and volunteers – they are so compassionate, dedicated, smart and hard-working and the results show in the wonderfully calm facility – all focused on providing a haven for cancer patients and their families.After a careful interview process, the Board recently hired Chrisann Gray as our new Executive Director, replacing Eileen Cook who retired after an incredible 22 years at the helm. Between Chrisann and our experienced and recently hired staff members, the team’s efficiency and effectiveness will carry us into the future as a strong and stable organization – focused completely on our residents’ comfort and well-being.We have begun a process of redecorating the facility so the rooms, kitchen and dining areas are even more welcoming and comfortable for our cancer families. I invite you to come and see what’s changing – just call the front desk at 246-2700 for a tour.Thanks to all our supporters who help make Casa Esperanza possible!Julie Tierney, Board President

Board of DirectorsOfficers

Julie Tierney - PresidentLia Armstrong - Past PresidentKatrina Tracy - Vice President

Ryan Dobbs - TreasurerVicki Woody - Secretary

Trevor Lewis - Member at Large

Board MembersAnita Kinney

Bradley MucekDara AmbrizDerek Roland

Dr. Richard Castillo

Advisory BoardAnthony Masciotra, Jr.

B. Lee BlackCheryl Gaedke

Ginny LongbothamRae Ann Paden

Chrisann Gray - Executive DirectorCristy Holden - Director of Outreach

and Fund DevelopmentDesiree McBrayer - Finance Director

Mary Loyd - BookkeeperKatie Cameron - Executive Assistant

Patty Virgen - Family Care Team Supervisor

Yuliana Granillo - Family Care TeamAlexandra Martinez - Family Care

TeamLatifha Clough - Family Care Team

achievement. You are here to enrich the world.”

These questions are worthy of consideration: “Why are you here?” and “Whom do you serve?” Please consider how you can share your unique talents and gifts with Casa Esperanza and our families.

Many thanks for making a difference,Chrisann Gray, Executive Director

Mike Gallegos - Facilities Maintenance Coordinator

Claudia Gilpin - Give Hope a Ride Administrative Assistant

Jesus Coronado-Gonzalez - Give Hope a Ride Lot Coordinator

Emily Gomez - Give Hope a Ride Auction Staff

Casa Esperanza Staff

Haydee Zaragoza spent almost a year as a resident at Casa Esperanza as she was receiving weekly specialized treatment for her cancer at the University of New Mexico Pediatric Hospital. Haydee is a bright girl from Las Cruces, who before being diagnosed with cancer at the age of 19, was living a normal teenage life. Haydee had just completed her first year of college classes when she was diagnosed with Burkitt’s Lymphoma in the summer of 2012. Haydee went to her doctor for a lump in the side of her throat. She recalls, “It didn’t hurt, but there was definitely something wrong.” After a few weeks, Haydee started to experience other symptoms such as bruising easily, back pain, and eventually a fever that lasted for weeks. Haydee’s first ever visit to the emergency room resulted in her being diagnosed with cancer. Instead of enrolling for her second year of school that

fall, Haydee had to immediately leave her home and family and travel to Albuquerque to face the reality of starting chemotherapy.

Haydee said it was hard to leave her family behind to come to Albuquerque to receive her treatment. She said, “We have a big family and we are always around each other.” However, with four younger siblings it was impossible for everyone to come along. Haydee’s family had to make a tough decision and sacrifice being together in order for Haydee to get better. She said even though it was just her and her Mom, Casa Esperanza still felt like home to them. Staying at Casa Esperanza they found other families facing the same challenges. Haydee said, “we had support and encouragement from the staff and other patients in the house. They were the backbone for my Mom and me when I was going through treatment.” Haydee finished her treatment

in the Spring of 2013 and returned to her life and home in Las Cruces cancer free. She continues to have check-ups every four months and she is optimistic about her health. Haydee said she was ready to come back home to life as usual, but she had mixed feelings about leaving Casa Esperanza and the friends she had made there. She said, “It was hard to leave because I was going to miss my new family.”

Since she beat cancer, Haydee has a new outlook on life. She said, “I try to enjoy every moment and take advantage of every little thing.” She said after being apart from her family for so long during her treatment, she tries to appreciate every moment she has with them. Haydee is currently enrolled as a Junior at New Mexico State University and she hopes to complete her degree in Mechanical Engineering soon. Haydee’s daily motto now is, “Enjoy life and stay healthy.”

“We had support and encouragement from the staff and

other patients in the house. They were

the backbone for my Mom and me when I was going through

treatment.”

Haydee in March 2013 Feeling better in October 2014

Las Cruces Girl Winning the Battle Against Cancer

After working as a broker/owner with Good Earth Realty for almost 20 years, Ron Goecks and his wife, Brenda, were enjoying retirement in Datil, NM. They would spend their days fishing at Lake Quemado with their dog in their 1958 airstream camper or just enjoying a good book or woodworking project around their house. However, four years ago, Ron’s doctors discovered something that would change his life forever. Ron was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and would have to undergo treatment in Albuquerque immediately.

Through radiation, Ron was able to beat the cancer… or so he thought. After 6 months, he was diagnosed a second time with the same type of cancer in the same spot in his throat. This time Ron’s doctors treated it more aggressively. He was able to beat it with radiation treatments two times a day. Ron had a clean bill

of health until May 2013 when he was diagnosed a third time with the same type of cancer in the same location.

Even though he has faced the same type of cancer three times, Ron still has hope that he will recover. Ron has found some of that hope through his relationships formed at Casa Esperanza. He said that the connections between the other families staying at Casa Esperanza help him and Brenda accept the hard situation.

Ron and his wife have made many friends during their stays at Casa Esperanza. Over the years, they have been able to keep in touch with and encourage other families battling cancer by sending holiday cards and cancer support books. Ron said almost every time they come back to stay at Casa Esperanza, they see someone they already know. He described it like, “being a member of a club… a club with heavy dues.”

Ron is no longer receiving chemotherapy, but travels to Albuquerque once a month for maintenance treatment. His tumor count has dropped and his doctors call him “miracle man.” He said what has really kept him going is the love and support he has received from his wife, family, and friends. The hope they have given him has been the best medicine.

“Once you have cancer, life is different.

You always wonder if it will come back.

Living with the unknown is the hardest part.”

“You don’t feel alone, and that makes a big

difference.”

“We literally came with nothing but what was in my

purse and the clothes on our backs.”

Zachary Tracey’s mom, Lucita, knew her

son was ill, but it was more than stomach flu. Within an hour she and her son were flown from the emergency room in Bloomfield, NM directly to the UNM Children’s Hospital where he stayed for three weeks.

Then he spent five months going back and forth from the hospital to Casa Esperanza, spending both Christmas and his 11th birthday in the hospital last year. With a typical three-year treatment plan for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, he misses football, cousins, and school. His immune system is too compromised by chemotherapy for him to return home. Lucita had to quit her job of nine years at Denny’s in Farmington to be with her son during his treatments in Albuquerque. “I realized Zacary’s cancer was going to change the way we lived. I used to be really organized and now we live one day at a time.”

“Casa Esperanza has helped me a lot. There are other people here going through the same things we are and we all support each other. We are like one big family.”

Major Contributors$5,000 +Blue Cross Blue Shield of NMClovis Board of RealtorsDr. Richard CastilloElizabeth SmithEmbassy Suites AlbuquerqueJim and Ellen King Keith WilsonKeller Williams RealtySysco Food Systems

$1,000 - 4,999Andrew CowanAztec Abstract & Title InsuranceCentral & Northern NM Combined Federal CampaignCheryl and Jeff GaedkeConrad and Mary StrohackerConstruction Technology Specialists, Inc.Desert Southwest Combined Federal CampaignEileen Casey CookGap Inc.James RupeJulie TierneyLee and Sandi BlackMichael and Joyce SkolnickNew Mexico Bank & TrustOtto and Sonya StrackPeyton YatesREIRobert B. Loftfield, Ph.D.Steve and Lisa EvansThe Crebilly FoundationThe Owl Cafe GangVicki and Kenneth WoodyWomen’s Christian Service Society

$500 - 999Anthony Masciotra, Jr.ATech CorporationBob and Phyllis SticeCCIM NMClaudia McConnellCol. George and Shirley BrabsonCosmopolitan Woman’s ClubDara and Hector AmbrizDianne StoneFirst United Methodist Church of Kingfisher, OKGerry and Tamala GdowskiGrace ParrGulfstream Lomas Ltd.Jane CookJerry and Joyce ForopoulosKatrina TracyLisa BloomLloyd & Jessica BonzonMary Kay SchminkReliable Chevrolet NissanRichard and Mary LoydRyan DobbsSteve and Lori AguilarTLC Plumbing and UtilityTrinity on the Hill Episcopal Church

MemorialsAdam EngramAnastacio M. LujanAudrey MuellerBud MeinrathCharlie LeeChela GoreChuck Gara

Cindy BellingerCooper Alan GrayDeceased Members of St. Vincent Academy Class of 1964Don NielsonEugene Arthur AaltoGina Orona-RuizJoe EvansJohn T. SchminkJuan R. LopezKevin JacksonLaura PadillaManuel R. Lara, Jr.Manuelita A. LujanMatias F. ManningMeghan McBrayerNina McIntoshRhonda RayRoman MartinezTony Maese

HonorariumsArthur GoodaleBonita WilsonCarrisa VaquezDonella GoffEileen CookEsther ForopoulosJasmine VaquezJulia DexterKathleen HellmanThe Kiernan weddingMichelle KlinkRachel ScottSadie O. KnightShauna Howser

Kidney patient supportDialysis Clinic, Inc.

Breast cancer patient supportNancy Floyd Haworth Foundation

House ImprovementsWestern Refinery

Rotary Club of AlbuquerquePNM ResourcesGeneral support

Albuquerque Academy

Program SupportFrost Foundation

Hancock Family FoundationNM Department of HealthUnited Way of Central NM

Grants

Thank you to all of our generous donors, volunteers, and car program supporters. Because of limited space, we are not able to list everyone who supports Casa Esperanza and the Casa Esperanza Endowment

Foundation. Please know that your gift, no matter the amount, is the key to our success. We appreciate each and every one of you!

Casa Esperanza, Inc.Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2014RevenuesGrantsNM Department of HealthProgram IncomeContributions & SupportFoundation SupportEvent IncomeInterest IncomeOther IncomeIn-Kind IncomeTotal Support & Revenue

ExpensesProgramGeneral & AdministrativeFundraising Total Expenses before Depr.Change in Net Assets before Depr. Depreciation ExpenseIncrease (Decrease) in Net Assets

178,50086,400

213,556168,279

73,34123,003

341,797

39,668784,578

465,451142,531

19,222627,204157,374

78,80678,568

Rio Arriba852

Union87

McKinley1,032 Sandoval

250

Los Alamos248

San Juan3,426

Taos901

Colfax515

Santa Fe

585

Mora191 Harding

25

San Miguel718

Quay481

Guadalupe461

Bernalillo174

Torrance103

Valencia125

Cibola575

Catron348

Socorro489

Lincoln866

De Baca176

Curry724

Roosevelt388

Chaves2,105

Lea870

Eddy1,597

Otero2,097

Sierra818

Doña Ana3,237Luna

845

Grant1,232

Hidalgo189

In-Kind Income5% Event Income

3%Foundation

Support9%

Contribution & Support

27%

Program Income27%

NM Dept.of Health 11%

Grants23%

Program74%

Fundraising3%

General & Admin

20%

Expenses

Revenues

All-time residents by state through June 30, 2014

New Mexico: 29,639Arizona: 3,038Colorado: 572

Texas: 453Other: 867

Total: 34,569

Residents from July 1, 2013 - June 30, 2014

Patients: 2,004Family members: 5,142

Cancer: 1,528Non-cancer: 476

Pediatric patients: 298Adult patients (18+): 1,708

UNM: 1,675NE Heights: 14

Presbyterian: 167Lovelace: 78

Other facility: 70Caucasian: 1,183Hispanic: 2,444

Native American: 1,389African American: 66

Asian: 12Other: 48

Total residents: 7,146

All-time residents by county through June 30, 2014

Endowment FoundationFiscal Year ending June 30, 2014RevenuesCar Donation Program (net of cost of sales)Event IncomeContributions & SupportInvestment ReturnInterest IncomeIn-Kind IncomeTotal Revenue

ExpensesProgram (Support to Casa Esperanza, Inc.)General & AdministrativeFundraising* Depreciation ExpenseTotal ExpensesIncrease (Decrease) in Net Assets

Long-Term Investments30-Jun-14Mutual FundsEquity FundsFixed Income FundsLand held for saleABQ Community Foundation FundsCharitable Gift Annuity Total Investments

299,10224,440

6,667178,376

4959,998

519,078

73,341150,487231,587

4,117459,532

59,546

FMV858,864400,876

073,59926,539

-21,4521,338,426

Average Return on Investments = 13.5%

House and Car Lot volunteers have donated 4,861 hours of labor this year. The board has donated 238 hours to Casa Esperanza and the Foundation.

Copies of the full 2014 audit for Casa Esperanza, Inc. and the consolidated audit for Casa Esperanza, Inc. and Casa Esperanza Endowment Foundation are available from the organization office.

*Casa Esperanza Endowment is acting as Fiscal Agent for Day of the Tread. In the audited financials the Day of the Tread expense of $231,587 is included in the Foundation fundraising expense. We have taken that number out here as well as the restricted event income amount of $287,440.

592 vehicles donated to Give Hope a Ride

76%cancer patients

85volunteer groups

100in-kind gifts

22%residents under 18

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

U.S. POSTAGE PAIDALBUQUERQUE, NM

PERMIT #599

Casa EsperanzaPO Box 40472Albuquerque, NM 87196

SAVE THE DATES

Gala for Hope“There’s No Place Like Home”

March 28th, 2015

Mike Moore Memorial Golf ClassicJune 12, 2015

Give Hope a Ride Auction

2nd Saturday of every month

Annual Report 2014

Our MissionCasa Esperanza - New Mexico’s home away from home

supporting families facing cancer.

• Casa Esperanza (Tax ID #: 85-0356946) is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. All contributions are tax deductible.

• Casa Esperanza receives funding from private grants and donations, the Combined Federal Campaign, DCI, the New Mexico Department of Health, and United Way.

• Member: NM Cancer Council, an alliance of cancer support agencies, hospital treatment centers and governmental agencies to inform, to educate and to advocate on behalf of NM cancer patients and their families. They create and implement the Comprehensive Cancer Plan. Their website is www.cancernm.org/cancercouncil.

• Affiliate: NM Cancer Care Alliance, providing NM cancer patients with local access to latest experimental treatments available. Their website is www.nmcca.org.

• Member: Healthcare Hospitality Network. To learn more about HHN and other special places such as Casa Esperanza go to www.nahhh.org.

For more information and to donate, visit casanm.org