Ambassadors

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Ambassadors brings together a community of people who care deeply about children and families. From hands-on volunteer opportunities and behind-the-scenes learning experiences to collective philanthropy, Ambassadors offers meaningful ways to connect with others and make a difference at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford.

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Ways to Get Involved

Founded in 2005, Ambassadors has grown to a community of more than 200 members who come together each year to support a special project that addresses critical needs at the hospital—raising more than $500,000 annually through collective philanthropy.

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Get Involved. Make an Impact.

An annual gift of $1,000 or more during the Ambassadors year (September–May) maintains your membership in a community that comes together to support Packard Children’s Hospital.

As an Ambassador, you’ll have opportunities throughout the year to:

Give back through meaningful in-hospital and family-friendly volunteer experiences

Learn through insightful forums with leading physician-scientists

Connect with fellow Ambassadors and the broader Packard Children’s community

Make an impact through collective philanthropy

Your gift can support the Ambassadors’ annual Fund-A-Need or any area of the hospital that resonates with you.

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Two young children in blue shirts and shorts work together to lift a large, heavy pumpkin. One smiles at the camera while the other smiles down at the pumpkin.

Ambassadors Pumpkin Patch

Join Ambassadors for Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford for a day of family fun at the Pumpkin Patch at Webb Ranch on October 7. Come by any time between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m.– the afternoon will be complete with hayrides, bounce houses, and a corn maze. Every pumpkin you buy supports Packard Children’s and any you donate will bring extra joy to patients this season.

Membership Events

Throughout the year, Ambassadors come together through meaningful experiences that create opportunities to give back, learn, connect, and make an impact. Volunteer at Packard Children’s, hear from esteemed physician-scientists at Stanford, connect with fellow Ambassadors, and come together to support critical programs at our hospital through community philanthropy.

Become a Member

Two ambassadors pose with Allyson Felix at an event

Our Signature Event

Each spring, we come together for a signature fundraising event—an inspiring luncheon that brings our community together to learn, connect, and make an impact for children and families at Packard Children’s Hospital.

The event features an exceptional lineup of thought leaders, changemakers, and nationally recognized voices. Past keynote speakers have included bestselling author Suleika Jaouad, Olympic track-and-field athlete Allyson Felix, talk show host and celebrity trainer Amanda Kloots, and physician, author, and parenting expert Dr. Aliza Pressman.

All proceeds from the event benefit the Ambassadors’ Fund-A-Need, supporting a critical project that advances care at Packard Children’s Hospital.

Ambassador members sitting in chairs outside in a sunny garden listening to speakers that are sitting on a stage.

Coffee Talks

Looking to learn from the best? Ambassadors puts on intimate educational talks with leading Stanford experts covering pertinent topics in child and maternal health. From practical parenting guidance to the latest advances in pediatric research, these conversations create space to ask thoughtful questions and gain meaningful insight.

Two people wearing face masks stand in a hospital hallway holding a large cluster of red and pink heart-shaped balloons with Valentine messages. A piano and framed artwork are visible in the background.

Volunteer Opportunities

Ambassadors members value giving back through hands-on service, hosting seasonal in-hospital events that bring joy to patients and families. From transforming hospital spaces into a festive pumpkin patch to helping children create Valentines for their loved ones, these meaningful events bring moments of fun, connection, and normalcy during an otherwise stressful time.

Past Events

18th Annual Lunch and Learn With Dr. Aliza Pressman

16th Annual Lunch and Learn With Suleika Jaouad

15th Annual Lunch and Learn With Allyson Felix

A nurse and a mother hold two babies in a hospital room in the NICU.

What Is Fund-A-Need?

Every year, Ambassadors members select a special project to provide crucial funds for a specific program or offering at Packard Children’s Hospital or the Stanford School of Medicine.

A child stacks colorful wooden blocks into a tall tower while two adults sit close by, smiling and watching. They're seated on a teal couch near a bright window with a hospital building visible outside.

Support This Year’s Fund-A-Need

This year’s Fund-A-Need is supporting comprehensive Social Services at Packard Children’s.

Social Services supports more than 3,300 patients and families annually, serving as a critical gateway to care during some of the most difficult moments a family will face.

As needs continue to grow, demand for flexible, holistic, wraparound support continues to exceed previous years. Ambassadors for Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford has the opportunity to provide flexible support that allows the Social Services team to respond quickly and direct resources where they are needed most.

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Previous Fund-A-Need Projects

Stanford Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Program - $452,000

Receiving a cancer diagnosis is already life-altering, but patients ages 15-29 have increased feelings of isolation from missing out on key milestones with their peers. To address these unique challenges, Packard Children’s Hospital and Stanford Health Care teamed up to create the Stanford Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer (SAYAC) Program.

Nurses wait outside of the teen van which is parked at a school.

Stanford Medicine Children’s Health Teen Van - $485,000

The Stanford Medicine Children’s Health Teen Van is a mobile clinic bringing free, essential health services directly to uninsured and underinsured youth, ages 12 to 25, across the San Francisco Bay Area. By visiting local high schools, community colleges, and nonprofit organizations from East San Jose to San Bruno, the Teen Van makes care accessible where it’s needed most, helping young people stay healthy and thrive.

Wrapping Our Arms Around NICU Families - $425,000

Over 40% of patients at Packard Children’s Hospital require financial assistance to cover the cost of their care. We are a safety net hospital with a level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), the highest level of care for the most critical cases. All donations to the Fund-A-Need support essential resources for families with a child in the NICU.

Watch to Learn More About the NICU

Aerial shot of the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital

Strong Minds, Strong Families - $360,000

The Stanford Parenting Center (SPC) launched in 2020 to address the mental health crisis among kids and teens based on studies showing parenting interventions can be as effective, if not more effective, in treating a child’s psychiatric conditions than those focused directly on the child. Our 2021-2022 Fund-A-Need Strong Minds, Strong Families provided critical seed funding to generate and launch essential SPC programming for families coping with mental illness. Together, we laid the groundwork for mental health and parenting experts at the Packard Children’s Hospital and Stanford School of Medicine to expand their care to more families than ever before.

Watch to Learn More About the SPC