St. Jude House is holding a February campaign to help fund the installation of a brand-new children's playground on St. Jude House property. At any given time, there are 20-25 children living in the shelter, with the majority falling between the ages of 2 and 12. A top priority of St. Jude House is to provide a safe and fun environment for these children to grow, learn, and receive the care they deserve, and a major component of this is the outdoor play area.
The current playground is 23 years old, and has a significant amount of wear and tear from years of play.
For these kids, outdoor play often serves as a way to cope with their experiences of family violence, and having a quality set of play equipment can make a world of difference for them; it can bring joy into their lives where there once was sadness and fear, and a give them the freedom to let go and just be kids.
The campaign will run from February 1st through February 28th, and will aim to raise $5,000 to support the demolition of the current playground. The funds will also aid in the installation of the new equipment, which was generously provided by the Crown Point Community Foundation, for which St. Jude House is extremely grateful. If all goes according to plan, the new playground will be ready for the summer of 2018. Although the goal is to raise $5,000, any addition funds collected will be used to help St. Jude House in the areas it is most needed.
