Ford’s Theatre Society announced that staff, audiences and the company of this season’s production of A Christmas Carol raised $58,610.05 on behalf of Hope for Henry. To date, Ford’s has raised more than $1,117,405 for Washington-area charities, impacting tens of thousands of lives in the DC area since 2009 when the charity drive began.
“For generations, Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol has served as a timeless reminder of hope, charity, and the power of kindness,” said Ford’s Theatre Director Paul R. Tetreault. “We are proud to carry on this beloved tradition and to support Hope for Henry, whose incredible work brings joy and comfort to children and families in our community.”
Hope for Henry employs an innovative approach to how hospitals care for pediatric patients with a program that incentivizes patients to confront challenges of serious illness. The program results in lower anxiety, less-frequent need for sedation during treatment, and improved adherence to treatment plans. The foundation supports thousands of children each year in five Washington-area hospitals and has impacted the lives of more than 27,000 local children since 2003.
“We are honored to receive this generous support from Ford’s Theatre during this season of giving,” said Laurie Strongin, CEO of Hope for Henry. “Just as A Christmas Carol inspires the spirit of generosity and hope, this contribution will help Hope for Henry bring comfort and joy to hospitalized kids and their families. Together, we are ensuring brighter days for children facing medical challenges.”
A Christmas Carol casts traditionally vote for a charity to support at the first rehearsal, then collect donations following performances throughout the run. This year’s company selected Hope for Henry and donations were collected from November 21 to December 23, 2024, with a final check presentation on December 26. Patrons made gifts in person, by mail or online at www.fords.org. Members of the cast and crew for A Christmas Carol and Ford’s Theatre Society staff also contributed to the campaign.
Past organizations selected by A Christmas Carol companies for the charity drive include, Hope and a Home, TheatreWashington’s Taking Care Fund, Bright Beginnings, Homeless Children’s Playtime Project, House of Ruth, Food & Friends, N Street Village, Bread for the City, Covenant House Washington, Martha’s Table, Miriam’s Kitchen, So Others Might Eat (SOME), Thrive DC and For Love of Children.
About Ford’s Theatre Society
One of the most visited sites in the nation’s capital, Ford’s Theatre reopened its doors in 1968, more than a hundred years after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Operated through a partnership between Ford’s Theatre Society and the National Park Service, Ford’s Theatre is the premier destination in the nation’s capital to explore and celebrate Abraham Lincoln’s life and legacy. Ford’s Theatre Society was founded under the guidance of executive producer Frankie Hewitt, who, during her 35-year tenure, established Ford’s as a living, working theatre producing performances that highlighted the diversity of the American experience. Since the arrival of Paul R. Tetreault as Director, critics and the theatergoing public have recognized Ford’s for the superior quality of its artistic programming.
With works from the Tony-nominated Come From Away and the nationally acclaimed Big River, to the world premieres of Grace, Meet John Doe, The Heavens Are Hung In Black, Liberty Smith, Necessary Sacrifices, The Widow Lincoln and The Guard, Ford’s Theatre is making its mark on the American theatre landscape. Under the current leadership of Board of Trustees Chairman Phebe N. Novakovic and through the lens of Lincoln’s leadership and legacy, Ford’s today endeavors to advance Lincoln’s “unfinished work” with programs and performances that cultivate empathy, encourage dialogue and bridge divides in American life.
About Hope for Henry
Hope for Henry is reinventing how hospitals care for children and their families through innovative, scientifically tested programs that help hospitalized kids confront the challenges of serious illness, adhere to their medical plans, and thrive. Founded in 2003 and led by social innovator, patient advocate, and author Laurie Strongin, Hope for Henry has served more than 120,000 children in hospitals around the country.
