First Early Bird Drawing Deadline is February 21 for $1.6 Million Dream Home or $1.3 Million in Cash

Some lucky person with a $150 raffle ticket will have a chance to win a magnificent $1.6 million Chicago dream home or $1.3 million in cash in the 3rd Annual Chicago Dream House Raffle to benefit The Hope Institute for Children and Families.

Individuals that purchase their $150 raffle tickets by February 21 will be entered to win a car or $25,000 cash, as well as the dream house, and over 550 other prizes, including vacations, cars and electronics. Tickets can be purchased online at www.chicagoraffle.com or by phone by calling 800-697-7734. The early bird drawing will take place on March 5.

The Hope Institute will sell up to 50,000 tickets for the Chicago Dream House Raffle. The grand prize is a luxurious 4,200-square-foot brand new brownstone located in Chicago. The five-bedroom home includes 3.5 baths, a gourmet kitchen, two master suites, custom millwork, hardwood floors throughout, and two spacious decks. The deadline to purchase tickets for the grand prize drawing is May 23 and the drawing will be held on June 7. For a complete list of prizes go to www.chicagoraffle.com.

Two other early bird drawings will occur and prizes include trips to Prague, Czech Republic; Vienna, Austria; Maui, Hawaii; Jamaica and more. The odds of winning a prize are a remarkable 1 in 90.

Any individual who buys two or more tickets is automatically entered into a multi-ticket drawing for a chance to win a Mercedes-Benz SLK 350 Roadster or $50,000 cash. If ticketholders refer a friend to purchase a ticket, they will be included in the Refer-a-Friend drawing and given the chance to win $10,000 cash or a pair of Vespa Scooters.

Any individual who purchases a ticket and also purchased a ticket in either the Hope Institute's 2013 Dream House Raffle or 2011 Dream House Raffle will receive an entry into the Loyalty Drawing for a chance to win a trip to Fiji or $15,000 in cash.

To enter the Raffle, call 1-800-697-7734 or go to www.chicagoraffle.com and register online. Forms can be mailed to The Hope Institute at 15 East Hazel Dell Lane, Springfield, IL 62712. Entrants may also print online ticket forms and fax them to 888-418-6608. Ticket purchasers must be 18 years or older, have U.S. residency and meet other requirements in the Rules and Regulations as specified at www.chicagoraffle.com/rules.

"As our largest fundraising initiative, the proceeds from the Chicago Dream House Raffle will help The Hope Institute for Children and Families provide educational, residential and health care services to more than 23,000 Illinois children and their families each year," said Mark Schmidt, chief spokesman for The Hope Institute for Children and Families. The Hope Institute serves children with multiple developmental and physical disabilities, including autism spectrum disorders.

For the second straight year, Pat Sajak, the Chicago Dream House Raffle Celebrity Spokesperson, lends his support for the raffle and will appear in television advertisements and direct mail pieces. "We have two kids who have had no issues in terms of health," said Sajak when asked why he supports Hope. "But we have a lot of friends who have not been so fortunate, and I know it is very difficult to deal with as a parent."

The Chicago Dream House Raffle sponsors include Chicago's ABC 7 and Comcast. For photos and descriptions of the Dream House, go to www.chicagoraffle.com/photos.

About The Hope Institute for Children and Families:

Since 1957, The Hope Institute has provided living, learning and health care services to children with multiple developmental and physical disabilities from across Illinois. For more information, go to http://www.thehopeinstitute.us/ or call (217) 585-KIDS.