News & Stories

Bill and Lisa Ford Launch $10 Million+ Endowment Campaign to Foster Brighter Futures for Detroit Region’s Youth

To celebrate the historic reopening of Michigan Central Station, Bill and Lisa Ford have established the Michigan Central Station Children’s Endowment Campaign. The campaign aims to raise at least $10 million to establish permanent endowments for Detroit area youth-serving nonprofit organizations.

Donor Story: Community honors lifetime philanthropist John G. Levy through Child Life endowment

It was John’s lifetime commitment to supporting children that inspired John’s family to establish the John G. Levy Endowment at the Children’s Foundation in support of Child Life Services at Children’s Hospital of Michigan

Partner Highlight: Child Life Services and the importance of philanthropy

Child Life relies on philanthropy to provide care - and kids rely on Child Life for hope and healing.

RAMP UP: New arts program to leverage Detroit’s arts and culture to fuel future imaginations

For college students, remote learning, closed campuses, and lack of sporting events are a daily reminder of how much the pandemic has interrupted the college experience. Though unfortunate and disappointing, Wayne State University’s Alpha Kappa Psi (AKP) knows situations are much worse for many others and decided to do something to help those struggling.

Improving mental health for kids and teens through the power of the podcast

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an alarming 32 percent of American teens between the ages of 13 and 18 have an anxiety disorder at some point. To address and improve this statistic, The Children’s Foundation continues to prioritize funding programs and solutions that address mental health for children and adolescents.

Camp Catch A Rainbow provides colorful, virtual camp experience for kids with cancer

“I’m not sure if there is a way to put into words what Camp Catch A Rainbow has meant to our son..."

Giving Gardens provide healthy and nutritious produce to food insecure families

The COVID-19 outbreak has had a devastating impact on food insecurity and nutritious food access throughout the Metro Detroit region. In response, Big Green Detroit has adapted twenty-one school learning gardens into “giving gardens”, which was enabled through a $10,000 grant from Children’s Foundation.

Hurley Medical Center’s Food FARMacy improves health conditions and food insecurity

When living in poverty, like 60% of children in Flint, Mich., access to healthy food can be a challenge. As a result, poor diet and nutrition can lead to health and behavioral issues including obesity, diabetes, attention deficit disorder, and more.

Foundation grantee continues research with funding from National Institutes of Health

In 2017, with $75,000 from The Children’s Foundation, Arash Javanbakht, M.D., Psychiatrist and Director of Stress, Trauma and Anxiety Center at Wayne State University, launched an unprecedented study exploring the mental health impact of war trauma on Syrian children and families now living in Southeast Michigan.

New program protects teenage athletes from sexual abuse

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, one in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused before the age of 18. Adolescents in their teen years are especially vulnerable to sexual abuse. That is why Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center (TBCAC) introduced a new program to keep teenage athletes safe from abuse.

Removing barriers for young, aspiring technology-based entrepreneurs

One day you may see commercials for ForHer Cosmetics, a vegan make-up line that engages children in STEM education; or you might happen upon Nepo, a new automatic system that opens public doors for paraplegic and handicap individuals. If so, don’t forget – you heard of each, here, first.

Extraordinary effort to feed Michigan families during uncertain times

From Flint to Grand Rapids, Michigan’s communities faced extraordinary struggles due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In March, when Children’s Foundation established the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund, a top and main priority funding area was support for food and essentials; since then, The Foundation has awarded more than $125,000 to projects in this area – approximately 40% of the fund.

Central City Integrated Health initiative provides PPE, testing kits

When Central City Integrated Health received its emergency funding from The Children’s Foundation, it used it for key supplies that were – and continue to be — in high demand: testing and screening kits, as well as personal protection equipment.

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