Support Andrea's Closet

Fundraiser will help bring toys and more to children at St. Joseph’s

July 24, 2009 – You can help put toys in the hands of children at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center while enjoying an evening of jazz by attending an upcoming fundraiser supporting Andrea’s Closet.

Inspired by Jazz! featuring the Royce Murray Jazz Ensemble will be held 7:30 Aug. 22 at Kerr Cultural Center. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased by calling 480-596-2660.

Kenny and Traci Brunk founded Andrea’s Closet in memory of their daughter, who died at age 10 after an 18-month battle with leukemia. Visits to a toy closet in St. Joseph’s Pediatric Unit helped Andrea deal with treatments she underwent at the hospital.

The Brunks opened the first Andrea’s Closet, filled with toys for pediatric patients, in 2002 at St. Joseph’s Children’s Health Center. There are now 17 Andrea’s Closets in Arizona hospitals, all kept stocked with toys by the non-profit organization. Since then it also has grown to include other programs such as Laptops for Kids which provides hospitalized children with computers so they can keep up with school work and stay connected to friends and family.

For more information about Andrea’s Closet, visit http://www.andreascloset.org/.