Former “Fixer Upper” stars Chip and Joanna Gaines have made a huge donation to St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.
The pair presented the hospital with a $1.5 million check on June 19, People reports. Additionally, the couple gifted the nearby St. Jude Target House — a long-term housing facility for families of St. Jude patients — with a new playhouse that they personally designed.
“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 said at the event, according to People magazine. “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.”
The playhouse exhibited their touch in building, she told People.
“When we were designing this playhouse, 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 donation was raised through a social media campaign called the #ChipInChallenge, according to People, which noted celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Alex Rodriguez and Kacey Musgraves also participated in.
Chip Gaines first announced the campaign June 4 on Instagram, writing, “Every penny we raise will go to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and it’s a fact that when we all chip in towards one goal, nothing can stop us.”
“If this just saves one life, if we just get one kid home to live happily ever after, it will all be worth it,” he added.
The couple, who recently celebrated 16 years of marriage, will be launching their own cable network in 2020.
