I wonder how ticket sales will be affected by the local economy?
I'm guessing fewer families will have $100 to purchase a raffle ticket. (Despite the support it gives to an absolutely wonderful cause.) I hope people still take a chance though - St Jude's is an amazing organization. I'd be inclined to donate money to them anyhow - the chance of winning a prize would just be an added bonus!
http://nbc24.com/news/content.aspx?id=67739
This is the third St. Jude dream home being built in the Toledo area. The other two combined raised more than $1 million for the children's hospital. A great start from the city the hospital's founder, actor Danny Thomas, called home.
It will be won by someone who could afford it on there own. Always does, those people that can afford many many tickets. Im sure many people who would love to have this opportunity, but who the hell can afford to blow $100 at christmas time? NOT ME. But i can also imagin many poor families getting a little hope, but to no avail. No way will a poor person win this house, no way. I would almost be willing to bet some money, if i had anything extra.
Good try!
Actually, the first dream home was won by a family with a modest income who only bought one ticket. (I don't know that family well, but have met them before...friends of friends. One modest income, 2 kids.)
And if I recall correctly from the news coverage about the second home giveaway, the person who won lived near Central/Jackman and was concerned that they might be forced out of their home for the new 475 exit ramp construction.
Apparently neither family was wealthy or well off by anyone's standards.
...I believe, isn't to provide a home for a needy family - it's to raise money for St. Jude's...
St. Jude's also has a Partners in Hope program where you can contribute a smaller amount monthly (they do automatic deductions from your checking account, if authorized) ... and many people find this is a more affordable way to support such a worthwhile program.
One of the things about St. Jude is that no child is ever turned away due to inability to pay.
Maggie is correct that this is intended as a tool for St. Jude to make money with. You would have to sell many more tickets for $10 - $25 to make back the $200,000 - $420,000 price tag of the home along with the additional money necessary to make the contest a worthwhile fundraising event.
In addition, let's not forget that a home that is worth that much requires a certain amount of maintenance, utility costs, insurance premium and let's not forget the tax burden that a "poor' or "needy" family would most likely not be able to afford; it could become more of a burden for them than a blessing. Many children of wealthy families have the same problem when their parents purchase them a home that is above their means.
Matt Holdridge
The Toledo Tattler
I've worked at St. Jude, and it is the most amazing place I have ever been in my life. It's amazing the level of care they provide since they don't have to deal with the government (Medicare/Medicaid) or private insurers. If a child needs something done, they do it. If they don't need something done, they don't do it. St. Jude is almost single-handedly responsible for improving childhood leukemia survival rates from about 2% in 1970 to 90-95% today.
If someone is looking at donating money to an organization I feel 100% confident that St. Jude and ALSAC (the associated charity) will put your money to great use.
By the way, these houses, while worth $200-420,000, don't cost that much to build. Materials are typically donated and builders don't make profits. That obviously means more of the $100 from each ticket goes to the hospital.
Why the heck isn't is HERE? Fine, make a big deal about Toledo folks helping a charity that was started by a famous former Toledoan. But did anyone ever ask Mr. Thomas why he didn't choose to start his children's hospital here?
Just wondering.
...by an older gentleman who was in politics at the time...it was offered to Toledo, but no one was interested...so Danny Thomas took it to Memphis which greeted him with open arms...
go figure!
BTW - there are at least 2-3 Dream Homes given away per year around the country. (The cities vary - presumably depending on where they can secure arrangements with builders and suppliers to donate the land/labor/materials for the homes.) http://www.stjude.org/stjude/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=ba9ece90bc7b0110VgnVC...
Its not something unique to the Toledo area, though they certainly do promote the fact that this is the home town of Danny Thomas when selling tickets.
Though I agree that it would have been incredible for the Toledo area to actually be home to St. Jude's. If Maggie is correct and the people in charge at the time turned down the opportunity, that's a shame.