As our fifth cycle continues, we stay centered to our ongoing theme, sharing stories of ladies whose industries have been rocked by COVID-19. As we know, the nonprofit world is no exception to the pandemic’s effects.

Meet Alene Mestjian, Director of Development and Communications of Ronald McDonald House Charities for the Central California Chapter (RMHCCV). Alene truly brings the expression “beautiful inside and out” to life, as her passion for giving shines through her work. With a background in development work, this Fierce Femme brings her education from California State University, Fresno and the University of Southern California (Fight On!) to benefit children and their families in partnership with Valley Children’s Hospital.

As most industries have had to adapt by working remotely and transforming their facilities to adapt to safety regulations, the RMHCCV team has taken it in stride. What’s a work day like for Alene and her amazing team (shout out to Cortney and Megan!), you may ask? “The pandemic has shifted our operations to a remote work environment,” says Alene. “We’re constantly chatting on Slack, having many group and individual Zoom meetings with our donors and committees, and trying to be as innovative as possible in our fundraising and marketing efforts.”

There has also been an extreme shift in how they operate the House and how they serve families. The quick shift under these extreme circumstances really exemplified how the organization’s staff is able to deal with any and all challenges and planning issues that come up, not only during a pandemic but year-round. “Our House Operations team quickly took every measure to keep the House as safe and healthy as possible for the families we serve - from ordering fresh supplies and technical equipment like touchless sanitizers and temperature check gadgets to ensure that our guests and staff are safe and healthy,” shares Alene.

Fundraising during a time where people are losing their jobs, their livelihood, unable to pay for hospital expenses for their children, makes it more important than ever to give back if you can. The dynamic team at RMHCCV has pivoted in creative ways to provide our community options to still support the mission. “My team and I are fully committed to connecting the mission of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Central Valley to our many generous donors in nine of California’s counties,” says Alene. “We cancelled our major fundraising events like our 2021 Red Heart Ball and the 2020 Sporting Clays Classic so that we could protect our donors and staff. However, we continued fundraising and found new, innovative ways to utilize our online platforms to re-establish much-needed revenue streams. We’re also looking ahead and planning more of these new, out-of-the-box fundraisers over the next few months. I’m extremely thankful that our community as it continues to rally around our House and support our mission. “

In asking Alene what 2021 has in store for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Valley, she replied:

In 2021, RMHCCV will continue to be laser-focused on serving families of children battling illness far from home. The very first “From Our House To Yours” telethon will air on KSEE24 to raise critical funding for our guest families on February 10, 2021. We’re recruiting sponsors of like-minded community champions to join us in our mission of providing a “Home Away From Home” and resources for families who are hospitalized at Valley Children’s. We’re also always looking forward to building a new, larger Ronald McDonald House so that we can accommodate more families battling illness far from home. Stay tuned for more news on that to come in 2021.

Lastly, Alene Mestjian defined a Fierce Femme as someone who “begins with the end in mind, builds others up, and ensures every project she touches, every relationship and job she enters is addressed with her full attention and complete devotion.” That said, there’s no truer definition of being a Fierce Femme than the ladies who volunteer their time as RMHCCV ambassadors. Through the ambassador program, the organization is able to have a virtual workforce of volunteer diplomats who help the organization anticipate their needs and present it to their existing and prospective donors in a respectful manner. If you’re interested in becoming a RMHCCV ambassador and/or volunteering for the organization, there’s more information on their website here.

Fierce Femmes: Alene Mestjian, Director of Development and Communications of Ronald McDonald House Charities for the Central California Chapter