What does it take to raise $20 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®? Generous customers, passionate employees and big hearts. At Best Buy, all three came together over the holiday season – and the dollars donated set a new record for our company.
In addition, we just completed our fifth season participating in the St. Jude Thanks and Giving® campaign, and once again earned the top spot among all participating retailers. To date, Best Buy has raised nearly $60 million for St. Jude, becoming one of the largest sponsors in the hospital’s history.
“It’s amazing to see what a powerful impact our customers and employees can have together, and we are grateful for their generosity,” said Laura Bishop, Best Buy’s chief corporate responsibility and sustainability officer. “When a child is facing a health crisis, a family’s world can turn upside down. St. Jude ensures that parents can focus on helping their child get well because families never receive a bill for treatment, travel, housing or food. I am so proud Best Buy continues to support this extraordinary organization.”
Funds raised in stores, online
During the 12-week campaign, Best Buy accepted contributions at point of sale and online. Stores heralded the support with donation sheets signed by customers, decorating their walls as a show of support for the life-saving organization.
“We are so grateful to our friends at Best Buy for demonstrating an exceptional commitment to the lifesaving mission of St. Jude and generating $20 million during one of the busiest times of the year,” said Richard Shadyac Jr., President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “Each and every Best Buy employee who reaches a customer with the St. Jude story is enabling us to continue to help the many families who turn to St. Jude for lifesaving care and groundbreaking research for their children.”
The $20 million collected can be used to benefit St. Jude patients in any number of ways, including covering the full treatment for 68 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (the most common form of childhood cancer), or nearly 13,000 days of chemotherapy, or 2,000 CT scans, or 3,000 days in the ICU. Best Buy has participated in the St. Jude Thanks and Giving campaign since 2013. The funds donated support the life-saving work of St. Jude, which freely shares breakthroughs and treatments with doctors around the world.