Michigan Covid-19 Relief Fund

State Representatives Joe Tate and Michelle Hoitenga, both members of the Kiwanis organization, are reaching across the aisle to promote a fundraising initiative aimed at providing support to medical heroes. Kiwanis International, Key Club International, Circle K International, The Children’s Foundation, Michigan Health and Hospital Association and the Kids Coalition Against Hunger have united to launch the “At Home But Not Alone – Supporting our Medical Heroes” Campaign. Funds raised will be provided to the Michigan Health and Hospital Association to be utilized where they are most needed throughout the state.

“On behalf of the Michigan District of Kiwanis I want to first thank our State Representatives Joe Tate and Michelle Hoitenga for pushing politics aside and helping us forge this coalition,” stated Frank Palazzolo, Lt Governor of the 1^st Division, Michigan District of Kiwanis and Campaign Chair. “Our partners selflessly came together to support this grand endeavor to help us raise funds to buy the protective equipment needed by our healthcare workers as they work to protect us all. If someone is looking for the definition of altruism they need look no further.”

“Helping those impacted by this crisis is essential to the mission of our Foundation,” said Lawrence J. Burns, President & CEO of The Children’s Foundation. “The Children’s Foundation is proud to collaborate with these partners to raise critical funds necessary for our communities and we invite the public to join in this effort.”

“I know many of our members and clubs have recognized the perverse situation this outbreak has put our District in- while our help is needed more than ever, it has become harder to directly serve our communities. We are therefore very excited to join this partnership to continue our mission of service,” said Alex Hughes, Key Club District Governor. “I invite all members and their families who are financially able to consider purchasing a t-shirt or making a direct donation to support this cause.”

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About Kiwanis International

Kiwanis, founded 105 years ago in Detroit, is an umbrella organization with over 600,000 members in 80 countries. It also includes Key Club, its high school program which is the world’s largest and oldest student-led service association, and Circle K, its collegiate program.

About The Children’s Foundation:

The Children’s Foundation, an independent community foundation for children, is the largest funder dedicated solely to advancing the health and wellness of children in the state of Michigan and beyond. Through fundraising, grant-making and advocacy The Children’s Foundation enables researchers and community organizations to identify and implement innovations capable of advancing children’s health and wellness. Since 2011, the Foundation has distributed more than 58 million dollars in grant funding to more than 80 partners throughout the state. Current initiatives of The Children’s Foundation include Children’s Hospital of Michigan Foundation, The Jamie Daniels Foundation and the Paul W. Smith Golf Classic. Current areas of focus for the Foundation include mental health, nutritional wellness, abuse and neglect, oncology and cardiology research and injury prevention. Learn more at www.YourChildrensFoundation.org. 

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Kids Coalition Against Hunger is a 501©3 humanitarian food aid organization. KCAH’s mission is to significantly reduce the number of undernourished children locally and around the world.

The organizations humanitarian crusade has partnered with many different Service Groups, Churches, Businesses, and Volunteers. These community partners assemble at various venues to produce a 390-gram food packet that provides enough nutrition for six adults or twelve children. One KCAH food pack will provide six adult meals at .28 cents per meal, or $1.68 a packet. The packets (which have a 3+ year shelf life) are then boxed and distributed. More than fifteen thousand volunteers a year have help KCAH produces more than three million of meals a year. Since 1998 KCAH has packaged over 47 million meals. These meals are sent to local community food banks and shelters. KCAH ships to twenty different countries globally, while storing a portion of the meals packaged for disaster relief. Every day 14,500 children under the age of twelve die from hunger related diseases. We are always honored to be able to help in times of need.

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