Chip and Joanna Gaines, the popular stars of the HGTV show “Fixer Upper,” have made a sizable donation to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
The Waco, Texas-based couple — who are the parents of five children — gave the hospital a $1.5 million check on June 19, as People magazine noted in a piece about the donation.
The couple also gave the St. Jude Target House a new playhouse that they personally designed.
That long-term housing facility is for the families of patients at St. Jude.
“When we heard that the space outside of Target House could use a little love, we knew right away that we wanted to create a sweet playhouse for the kids to enjoy,” Joanna Gaines said at the event, as People noted.
Related: Chip and Joanna Gaines Lead Church Services
“There’s something so special about spending time together outside and while we’re hopeful that these families will not have to stay here for very long, we wanted to create a retreat for them to explore while they are here.”
“When we were designing this playhouse,” she added, “we knew we wanted it to feel whimsical and fun — that was the inspiration behind details like the colorful flowers in the flower boxes and the sweet kitchen area.”
“Our hope is that this space brings a bit of joy to the families here.”
The couple are launching their own cable network in 2020.
“The money will ensure that families of children with cancer never receive a bill from them for treatment, travel, housing or food.”
The donation was raised through a social media campaign called the #ChipInChallenge, according to People.
It noted that celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez also participated.
Chip and Joanna Gaines Present $1.5 Million Donation and Build a Playhouse for St. Jude https://t.co/cEveN5rCGX
— People (@people) June 27, 2019
The Gaineses originally had a goal of raising $500,000 — and ultimately presented the $1.5 million donation.
“The money will ensure that families of children with cancer never receive a bill from them for treatment, travel, housing or food,” as People noted.
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