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One Child at a Time |
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Child and Family Life provides a school program allowing patients to keep up with their schoolwork during their hospitalizations. Teacher Carol Fanning works with patients in the hospital schoolroom and in their hospital rooms. Patients like Nikolas Caster (middle) and Stephanie Coleman are fans of the child and family life programs—including school. |
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Kiwanis supported the first U-M Child Life programs and their support continues to make a critical difference
For 86 consecutive years, Kiwanis has had an important role in supporting the patients and families at the University of Michigan Hospitals. Kiwanis is an international organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world, one child and one community at a time. The local Kiwanis club of Ann Arbor started providing support for the hospital school in 1922, and today the Kiwanis of Michigan Foundation continues to be a major contributor to the Child and Family Life department at the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. Child and Family Life provides children with therapeutic and recreational play activities and supports families in numerous ways.
In 1922, the local Kiwanis club of Ann Arbor started providing financial support for programs for pediatric patients at the University of Michigan Hospitals. That support continued and developed into a partnership between the Kiwanis of Michigan Foundation and four children’s hospitals (C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, Mary Free Bed Hospital and Rehabilitation Center in Grand Rapids, Northern Michigan Hospitals in Petoskey, and Children’s Hospital of Michigan) that Kiwanis continues to support today. The four hospitals care for patients in every county of the state.
The Child and Family Life department at the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital helps patients and families cope with the stress of hospitalization and illness through a variety of programs. The department has been able to grow and adapt to the needs of patients because of the generosity of the Kiwanis Foundation of Michigan. The multidisciplinary staff includes activity therapists, art therapists, a music therapist, child life specialists and hospital teacher. Dan Fischer, director, Child and Family Life, says that Kiwanis’ support, which is more than $100,000 annually, is incredibly important to the department. “We wouldn’t be able to function without it,” he says. Kiwanis funds the music therapy program and started the art therapy program. Fischer is also grateful for Kiwanis’ understanding about the importance of funding salaries. He says that support is vitally important.
Larry French is the President of the Kiwanis of Michigan Foundation and has been a member of the Ann Arbor Kiwanis club for 14 years. French says, “For me, the most important and rewarding part (of being a Kiwanian) is our service to children. That is the reason I got involved in the foundation.” French understands the importance of what Child and Family Life provides for patients, siblings and parents.
Fischer has opportunities to meet Kiwanians from across the state, and he praises them for their genuine dedication to giving back to their communities. The success of Mott Hospital’s Child and Family Life department is due in part to the 86-year relationship with Kiwanis. Kiwanis is truly making a difference at Mott Children’s Hospital … one child at a time.
Find out more about how Child and Family Life helps patients and families at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital here. |
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Kiwanis donated to the first hospital school program in 1922, and Kiwanis has established a long history of supporting hospital programs including special patient activities like those seen here in the first University of Michigan Hospital. |
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Show Your Support
Child and Family Life is not reimbursed by insurance or families, but instead relies on fundraising for a portion of its budget. Support these vital programs by making a donation. Please make all checks payable to: UMH Child & Family Life. Send your monetary contribution to:
C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital
Child & Family Life Department, F8419
1500 East Medical Center Drive SPC 5251
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-5251 |
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Kiwanians in Action
Wherever you travel in the state of Michigan, you will find Kiwanians with creative ideas who are using their time and talents to help others. In every community Kiwanians are making a difference with their commitment to volunteerism. In addition to their financial support of children’s hospitals through the Kiwanis of Michigan Foundation, each club has numerous charities they support. For example, in 2008 the Adrian club gave more than $200,000 to organizations that help children, people in need or the arts. Golf outings, nut sales and walks (like the one hosted by the Southgate club) are just some of the ways Kiwanians raise funds to benefit their communities.
If you live in the Ann Arbor area, you can also support Kiwanis by donating to the thrift sale. Learn more about the sale here.
You can also participate in their annual golf outing scheduled for September 9, 2009, at Pierce Lake in Chelsea. Visit the Ann Arbor Club site.
Find out how you can join and/or support the club in your area by visiting Kiwanis online or calling Michigan District of Kiwanis International at 517-676-3837. |
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Did You Know?
Kiwanis and its Service Leadership Programs boast a membership of more than 600,000 men, women and youth in nearly 16,000 clubs in more than 70 countries and geographic areas.
Kiwanis has 184 clubs and 5,972 members in the state of Michigan.
Kiwanis includes clubs for college students (Circle K International) and high school students (Key Club) who are also committed to volunteerism and fundraising as well as developing leadership skills.
Kiwanis International’s partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, has made great strides towards the goal of eliminating iodine deficiency worldwide. To date, Kiwanis International has donated more than $80 million (including $1 million from the Michigan District of Kiwanis International) to eliminate iodine deficiency disorders. |
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