Raising Record Funds to Give Sick Kids a Home

At a time when federal officials and contractors are getting a great deal of scrutiny over how much the government spends and how it spends it, it's important to note those times when the two sides come together to give something back in a big way.

The Bethesda Chapter of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association has announced that its gala on behalf of the Children's Inn at the National Institutes of Health last month raised $838,000 for the charity. That's a new record in the 14-year history of the event, during which time AFCEA Bethesda has donated $5 million to the Children's Inn.

AFCEA-Bethesda is among 140 AFCEA chapters that aim to promote government–industry partnerships and provide forums for members to exchange ideas.

The Children's Inn is a residence for children who are undergoing treatment for serious illnesses at NIH. The idea is to provide the kids and their families, free of charge, with a place to be together during difficult and stressful times. The gala is the largest fundraiser for the Inn.

Here's a video about what the Inn does:

Government Executive was among the sponsors of the Children's Inn gala.