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Grizzlies Pledge $5 million to Fund Memphis Grizzlies House
The Memphis Grizzlies House will be an integral part of the domiciliary care program at St. Jude. The $10 million residence will provide patients and families who are receiving care at St. Jude to stay in a home-like environment while also having the support of other families in the same facility. All families who visit St. Jude will at some point reside at the Memphis Grizzlies House. The facility will be the only housing complex located on the hospital campus and will offer complete patient care at no cost to the families.
“The Memphis Grizzlies recognize that our actions on the court are meagre compared to our greater efforts and actions within our own community,” said Michael Heisley, Grizzlies majority owner. “When families come to our city for care, the Grizzlies feel it is important for them to feel as close to home as possible. For us, that meant taking them out of the local hotels where they currently stay and providing them with a comfortable home surrounded by other families who can offer support and encouragement during such an emotional time.”
The Grizzlies’ pledge to build the Memphis Grizzlies House at St. Jude is an expansion of the existing commitment to St. Jude and the Memphis community. The Grizzlies players, staff and fans know that one of their most important roles off the court is to invest in their community to help build a solid foundation for the future. Together, the Grizzlies will continue to channel their efforts and that of their fans toward healthcare in the city, focusing on the children at St. Jude through the Memphis Grizzlies House.
“We are proud that our players, staff and organization have committed to make Memphis a better place,” said Grizzlies President of Basketball Operations Jerry West. “With the Memphis Grizzlies House at St. Jude, we are not only investing in the future of our community, but also in the future of of every family who passes through the doors of St. Jude.”
The Memphis Grizzlies House will be approximately 70,000 square feet and will be able to accommodate up to 100 families at a time. Sixty-four of the units will be hotel-style rooms for short-term stays and 36 suites will be available for longer stays. The residence will feature recreation areas for common use, including a family room surrounded by an Adult Room, Children Room, Pre-Teen Room and Teen Room. A small fenced playground and a half-court basketball site will be located outside the residence.
“When families come to St. Jude, they are already experiencing a very emotional time,” said Director of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Arthur Nienhuis, M.D. “These are families who have left their homes and are temporarily making a new home here at St. Jude. We want their experience at the hospital to be a comfortable one. That’s why the Memphis Grizzlies House is so important. For those families who will be here for shorter periods, we will now have the appropriate facility to provide them the same comforts as our long-term housing facilities.”
The Memphis Grizzlies House will be the third residential care facility at St. Jude. Currently, families under treatment from eight days to three months are housed at Ronald McDonald House, and families under treatment for more than 90 days are housed at Target House. The Memphis Grizzlies House is for patients from babies to teens who need short-term housing from one to seven days.
The partnership between St. Jude and the Memphis Grizzlies began in September 2002. The existing partnership includes team and individual efforts from Grizzlies players and staff, including hospital visits, team ticket donations and board representation. Among the players actively involved are Michael Dickerson, Jason Williams, Pau Gasol and Shane Battier, who serves on the Professional Advisory Board for ALSAC.
