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Ronald McDonald House Charities of Oregon and Southwest Washington (RMHC) welcomed long-time donors Jim and Claudine Tanner to the Hall of Fame at this year’s Hearts & Hands Auction.

Jim is the co-founder of Columbia Corrugated Box Company in Tualatin, Oregon. During the past eight years, he and Claudine have made unrestricted donations of nearly $300,000 to support Portland’s two Ronald McDonald Houses, making them RMHC’s most generous annual donors.

For several years, they have funded a room in one of the Ronald McDonald Houses for an entire year. They have also made a number of unique challenge gifts, usually in conjunction with RMHC’s annual holiday campaign, which have inspired hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional support.

Their leadership challenge in late 2004 was the impetus for the establishment of RMHC’s Tanner Society, which recognizes those who make unrestricted annual gifts of at least $2,500. Membership in this major donor society has grown from 60 in 2005 to 81 in 2007. Last year, donations from Tanner Society members totaled nearly $500,000--accounting for more than 25% of RMHC’s operating budget.

Jim and Claudine enjoy attending our annual auction, golf tournament, and Tanner Society celebrations--events in which they also involve their children and grandchildren. When asked what prompts their extraordinary generosity, they immediately point to the importance of family--both in their personal lives and in the healing process that occurs at our Ronald McDonald Houses:

“It's all about family. If you have a sick child, you have enough worries. When the child is sick, the parents are hurting, too—sometimes maybe even worse. The Ronald McDonald House gives everyone the down time they need to heal--and the people who stay become extended family to each other. It's not what you give, but that you give," explained Jim and Claudine.