Mad Anthonys Children's Hope House prepares for largest donation of year

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Mad Anthonys Charity Classic for Children is this weekend.  The tournament helps support the Mad Anthony Children’s Hope House in Fort Wayne. 

The Children's Hope House provides temporary housing to families with a critically injured or ill child getting treatment at any area hospital.

Molly Rommel is on board of directors for the Children’s Hope House.

“We are home away from home, for families who got sick or ill children over the Lutheran network,” said Rommel.  Rommel said Parkview patients are also welcome.

The Children’s Hope House only has six rooms for families.  The rooms are filled most of the time.

“Eighty to eighty-five percent of the time we are at full capacity,” Rommel said.

The house has all the comforts of home.

“We provide not only housing, we provide hope for them,” said Rommel.  “We provide a nice warm meal.  We provide just an opportunity to get away from the hospital, come and sit down, relax."

The house serves families from all over the area, including those in Allen County.  Rommel says their communities even support the house.

“Most of our families are from outlying communities, we actually talk to their community foundations in those areas,” said Rommel.  “So we are very fortunate that they help and assist help us."

Rommel said the Children’s Hope House does ask for a small donation, if the family is able to.

“We do ask for ten dollars a night from families, but there is no requirement for them,” said Rommel.  “If they can't pay that, we understand."

That donation is to try to help offset the $90 a night for a family to stay.

This is the 55th year for the Mad Anthonys Charity Classic.  The tournament raised $115,000 for the Children’s Hope House last year.