CCHAT Spotlight: Community Thanks

November is a month to give thanks, and at the CCHAT Center, we have a lot to be thankful for. Every day, we watch our children with hearing loss progress toward listening and spoken language goals, and the independence and life successes that come with that. 

However, CCHAT would not be able to make its impact without plenty of help. A community of generous donors and sponsors ensures that we can provide our life-changing services to children with hearing loss. It is a relationship that the entire CCHAT program, from families to staff, appreciates and is grateful for each and every day. 

CCHAT Funding

CCHAT provides its classroom instruction, speech therapy and audiological services at no cost to the families who attend. While some money to fund the program comes from local education agencies and school districts, a substantial funding gap remains. CCHAT is tasked with raising $10,000 for each student in the program.

With this in mind, CCHAT relies heavily on the support of its community. Numerous individual donors show their dedication to our children and program with regular contributions. Additionally, CCHAT has formed many relationships with organizations and businesses in the region. These sponsors, donors and CCHAT difference-makers help sustain our program for the families of children with hearing loss who depend on us.

Business Sponsorships

CCHAT coordinates a number of vital fundraisers throughout the year. These are made possible by generous local businesses who sponsor our events as we aim to raise the necessary funds to sustain our program.

Lund Construction Co. is one of CCHAT’s most loyal partners. Lund began supporting CCHAT in 2019 and continues to help the program in a variety of ways, from sponsoring events to helping revamp our campus through alum Kevin Scifres’ Eagle Scout Project last year.

“We got involved with CCHAT because of the Scifres family,” said Kevin Lund, president of Lund Construction Co. “They have been longtime family friends, and when we heard what their family was going through, we knew we needed to do something.”

Already very charitable throughout the Sacramento area, Lund’s personal connection to CCHAT spurred a commitment to action. 

“With our personal relationship with one of your students, it seemed like the right organization,” Lund said. “It is important (for us to support CCHAT) because we have a business in Sacramento and feel that businesses should give back to their communities.”

Partnerships with philanthropic companies like Lund Construction Co. provide immense support in helping CCHAT reach its fundraising goals.  

Alumni Family Support

In addition to support from community organizations, CCHAT is fortunate to have many alumni families who give back to the program. These supporters recognize the impact CCHAT had on their children and want to ensure that the next generation of students with hearing loss have access to the same life-changing services.

Jennifer and John Rattaro sent their children, Rocco and Adriana, to CCHAT until 2012 when both graduated from the program. With Rocco now a high school freshman and Adriana a studious seventh grader, the Rattaros are grateful for the educational foundation built at CCHAT. The family showed their appreciation by sponsoring last month’s Bike 4 Fun event.

“Rocco and Adriana have grown so much over the years. They are great kiddos, and they really wouldn’t be where they are today without the early intervention from CCHAT,” Jennifer said.

The Rattaros are just one example of many alumni families who give back to CCHAT. This support is instrumental in the ongoing success of our program.

Current Family Champions

Every CCHAT family plays an instrumental role in the success of our program. Some families have ties to local businesses and use this platform to show their support for CCHAT.

Current CCHAT preschooler Nikole has been in the program since starting in Baby & Me. Her father, Ken, has sponsored multiple CCHAT events through his company, Awesome Appliance Repair.

This year, the family of Pre-K student Rami gave back to CCHAT with a Bike 4 Fun sponsorship from Wardany Oral Implantology, father of Tamir’s business. 

Other families have graciously chosen to become “CCHAT Champions,” those who pledge to make regular donations to CCHAT. Ricarda Pineda, mother of student Hugo, is one such donor. 

“I’m so happy that my son is a part of CCHAT,” Ricarda said. “Hugo loves school. I want to say thank you for all the hard work all of you do for kids like Hugo. All of you are amazing!”

The Great CCHAT Community

It truly takes the effort of an entire community to sustain a program like CCHAT. While our families make a daily commitment to attend, and our staff of experts works tirelessly to provide the best services to students, the program runs on the generosity of its supporters. This collection of caring donors shows its dedication to our children on a daily basis. Together, these groups make CCHAT the special place that it is. 

We are truly grateful for everyone in our “CCHAT Family,” and we thank you for your commitment to our program. If you want to contribute to CCHAT, visit our DONATE page and pledge your support.