Courtesy of St. Jude
The 2024 St. Jude Dream Home® Giveaway achieved its goal of selling 7,500 tickets, ultimately raising $750,000. The giveaway winner, Haylee Feti from Snook, received a new home on Monday, June 10.
The event benefits St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® to fund medical research and eliminate extraneous costs for families affected by childhood cancer. Tickets were sold at $100 with the chance to win a brand new home and the four additional prizes offered. With overwhelming support for the cause, all of the available tickets were purchased.
Community sponsors, such as Ranger Home Builders who built the home at zero cost, have helped the campaign retain its success, says Angela Garza, Executive Director of the South Texas region for ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude.
“All of the money raised ensures that families have never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food — so they can focus on helping their child live,” Angela says. “We’re developing cures and treatments to share them freely with the world. All of that is done because of generous donors.”
The supportive partners that contributed to the financial success of the charity event include local sponsors KBTX, Ranger Home Builders, Southern Pointe, Insite Brazos Valley Magazine, David Gardner’s Jewelers, Bock Realty Group, Bullard & Browning Interiors, Walsh & Mangan Premier Real Estate Group, and National Sponsors Brizo, Shaw Industries, Trane, Bosch and Kichler.
“I’m truly just overwhelmed that we were able to do this huge thing for the kids at St. Jude,” Angela says. “A lot of people think about St. Jude, and they think about a hospital in Memphis, and ‘how does it affect my community?’ Local doctors utilize research, protocols and treatments discovered at St. Jude in their local hospitals and institutions, as well as kids who might be your neighbors.”
Since its founding in 1962, the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® has seen exponential progress in its mission to end childhood cancer.
“[In the ‘60’s], if your child was diagnosed with the most common form of cancer, ALL [acute lymphoblastic leukemia], they had a 4% chance of surviving,” Angela says. “Today, they have a 94% chance of survival. We are proud that 82 cents of every dollar goes back to St. Jude.”
The giveaway is expected to return in 2025 as supporters continue to lend a helping hand in defeating childhood cancer. From generous sponsors to participants who purchased a ticket, the St. Jude Dream Home® Giveaway maintains its success thanks to the continuous generous support of the community.
“We’re just blown away by how the community came out to support St. Jude really in a very meaningful way, in a big way,” Angela says. “We’ve got a lot of folks who support the cause and who believe in our mission, and, you know, all of the money that we raise goes towards that.”
Courtesy of St. Jude
For more information about St. Jude Dream Home® Giveaway visit here.