Childhood Cancer Family Fund

Mission Statement

To provide Christmas gifts to pediatric cancer patients at St. Jude Hospital’s Target House long term family housing unit.

History

Childhood Cancer Family Fund (CCFF) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that provides gifts to pediatric cancer patients at St. Jude Target House Family residence. CCFF was founded by Mike Crask, a retired Louisville, Ky Police Detective of 24 years. Upon deciding to start Childhood Cancer Family Foundation he wanted the focus to be on one single area of need at Target House. He consulted their staffers and their single greatest need was financial help with their annual free Christmas Shop and their Christmas in July celebration.

Target House

Target House is the long-term family residence for pediatric cancer patients and their families while their child is undergoing treatment at St. Jude Hospital. There are 96 families that stay in two-bedroom apartments. Patients needing treatment for at least 3 months and up to 3 years are assigned to live there. The children there range in age from infant to 19. Patients at Target House tend to be the kids most critically in need of treatment. Families stay for free and utilities are paid. Food, household goods and personal hygiene items are only sometimes available through donations. Everyday living expenses are not covered. Families are often split up because only one parent comes to live at Target House while the other works. Some families lose both incomes.

Target House Christmas Shop

Each year donated gifts are used to stock a free Christmas Shop where parents are brought in one family at a time to shop for all of their children with the help of a volunteer. The gift selections are then gift wrapped by volunteers and delivered to the families rooms. There are lots of gifts donated each year but there are not enough donations to cover all the gifts needed, mainly for teens and young adults. Target House must pull thousands of dollars a year from money budgeted for other programs to purchase needed gifts. We want to fill this gap so that their other programs are not negatively affected. Last year we provided over $80,000 in gifts.

Christmas in July

Each July Target House holds a Summer Camp week for the patients at St. Jude Hospital’s Tri Delta, Ronald McDonald and Target Houses. On the final day of Camp Week we host a Christmas in July Celebration at Target House where we provide entertainment, music, gifts for the patients and a meal for the families. 

To date we have provided over $2 million dollars in gifts , goods and services to St Jude Target House.