At its October 11 gathering at Del Sur Ranch House, Dinner with Friends raised more than $113,000, bringing the fundraiser’s 14-year total above $1 million, according to Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego.
The fundraiser benefits families with hospitalized children staying at San Diego’s Ronald McDonald House, the charity says. It describes Dinner with Friends as an annual tradition hosted by Matt Teeter and Carlos Sanguinetti.
Support for families near the hospital
Ronald McDonald House San Diego says a 28-suite expansion brought its capacity to 82 families each night. The organization also says it serves more than 100,000 freshly prepared meals free to family members each year, with help from more than 380 volunteer groups, according to Ronald McDonald House San Diego. For additional context on pediatric care, Rady Children’s Health reported that its Peckham Center cared for 249 newly diagnosed cancer patients and had 10,590 outpatient visits in fiscal year 2025. Those figures describe hospital care, not demand for Ronald McDonald House lodging.
The event’s fundraising totals over time
10News reports that the fundraiser’s first year brought in $7,000, while the San Diego Union-Tribune says the first event was held in 2012 and netted $8,000. The Union-Tribune also chronicled the fundraiser’s growth. By October 2022, the fundraiser had collected more than $650,000 over the preceding decade, the newspaper reported.
Attendance later grew from a few dozen people to roughly 200, according to 10News.
The organizers’ volunteer work at the Ronald McDonald House began before the fundraising dinner. The Dinner with Friends website says Teeter and Sanguinetti organized a volunteer event in September 2009, serving dinner to families staying there.
Another event benefiting the charity, Disco with Friends, raised more than $140,000, with more than $30,000 in donations matched dollar-for-dollar by the JMS Fund, according to Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego.
