As part of the mission of Anna Kate Wenz FIGHT Foundation and Scholarship Fund, one of the primary actions we will undertake is the support of programs and services that lift the spirits of childhood cancer patients and their families, help the healing and recovery process and make life more livable during treatment and hospitalization. There is no more obvious example of a place that allows us to fulfill our mission than Target House at St. Jude Hospital in Memphis. Target House holds a special place in our hearts because Anna Kate and her family stayed there for long periods during Anna Kate's treatment.

 

For those unfamiliar with Target House, patients are assigned to Target House if their treatment is expected to last more than 90 days. The house features 96 fully furnished, two-bedroom apartments. Target House features recreation areas for common use, including the Tiger Woods Library and Pavilion, the Amy Grant Music Room, the Scott Hamilton Family Fitness Center and arts and crafts room, indoor and outdoor play areas and a garden patio. St. Jude patients who stay at Target House reflect the full range of the hospital’s population – from babies to teens.There is no cost to families staying at Target House. Imagine living away from home for more than 90 days, often unable to work because your child needs you there with them. Not many people have the luxury of being able to take a three month or longer paid leave. And certainly many families don't have anywhere near the support that this area gave the Wenz family during Anna Kate's treatment. Mike and Jennifer were fortunate enough to live in an area where wonderful caring people rallied around a tiny princess warrior and provided so much to their family.

 

It is because of this that they insisted one of our primary functions be "paying it forward" by helping provide needed items to families at Target House that we all may take for granted. Our Target House Project will be a year round effort to provide residents of Target House with items most requested by families and patients there. There will be a list below of needed items for those who wish to donate. The first part of the year we will focus on the things that families need. The last part of the year we will focus on providing toys and gifts to families and children staying there at Christmas. For the first part of the year we will be collecting donated items to deliver to Target House. To provide toys and gifts for Christmas we will hold an annual fundraiser to raise money to buy toys and gifts to be delivered each Christmas. Anyone and everyone can participate in the collection of needed family items. If you want to donate we will announce several collection drives and locations around the area or you can contact me and we can arrange pickup. If you live out of town you can gather items and ship them to me and I will store them until we deliver them.

 

Or , as always you can mail a check written to:  Anna Kate Wenz FIGHT Foundation

And mail to :

Anna Kate Wenz FIGHT Foundation

194 Rushing Road

Martin, TN 38237

 

FAMILY SUPPLIES LIST:

Arts and crafts supplies- paints and painting supplies, painting canvas, construction paper, scrapbook supplies,

 

Household products- paper towels, toilet paper, household cleaners, hand soap, laundry supplies, Twin & queen sheets

 

Dining room supplies- plastic utensils, 16 oz plastic cups, napkins, aluminum foil, juice boxes

 

CHRISTMAS LIST:

CHILDREN- Baby Dolls & Clothes, Musical Toys, Action Figures (Hulk, Spider Man, etc), Leap Frog Games, Crayola Art Kits, Rose Art Kits, Bead Kits, Die-cast Trucks and cars, Race Cars & Tracks, Baseball Gloves

 

PRETEENS- Board Games, Remote Control Cars, Backpacks, 2-way Radios, Nail Polish Gift Sets, Handheld Video Games, Stationary Sets and Stamps, Watches, Musical Instruments (guitars, keyboards,etc), Model Building Sets, Jewelry Making Kits

 

TEENAGERS and ADULTS- Walkmans, New Release CDs, New Release Movies, Age appropriate games (Life, Sorry, Etc.), Chess Boards, Picture Frames, CD Cases, Make-up Kits, Journals, Scrapbooks, Sketch Pads, Pool Sticks, Clocks, Photo Printing Paper, Fun Lamps. ALL AGES: Gift Cards, Disposable Cameras, Slippers, Baseball Caps, Floppy Hats, Gloves, Malco Movie Passes, Target Gift Cards, Clothing Gift Cards, Phone Cards, Footballs, Basketballs, Soccer Balls, Frisbees

 

WE ASK THAT YOU DO NOT DONATE STUFFED ANIMALS. FOR INFECTION CONTROL PURPOSES, THE CHILDREN ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE THEM