The Kiwanis Club of South Oakland County receives $2,500 grant
The Kiwanis Club of South Oakland County, a nonprofit organization that assists foster care youth who are aging out of the system, received a $2,500 grant from the Michigan Association of Health Plans (MAHP) today to help fund their upcoming event, Fostering the Arts 4. Their event is focused on bringing awareness to foster care services in SE Michigan.
Fostering the Arts 4 will feature speakers from foster agencies, suicide prevention specialists, health care professionals, and local entertainment. During the event, financial scholarships will also be awarded to winners of an essay contest. This year’s essay theme is “Cultivating Hope for the Future.”
“Aging out of the foster care system can be very overwhelming and we try hard to alleviate some of the stress that comes with that,” said Sheryl Stevenson, president of the South Oakland Kiwanis Club. “We are grateful to MAHP for providing funds that will set these young people up for success physically, mentally and emotionally by providing financial access to prenatal care, prescriptions, dental care, and funding to offset other medical expenses.”
The funding is made available through MAHP’s Tackling Health Care Disparities in Michigan grant program, which encourages community-based organizations to collaborate and deploy local initiatives aimed at creating better health outcomes and improving health equity.
“Data shows that Southeast Michigan children in foster care are at risk for ending up in homeless shelters,” said Dominick Pallone, executive director of the Michigan Association of Health Plans. “The Kiwanis Club of South Oakland County is actively working to eliminate those statistics. I am thrilled they are supporting these young adults by providing services that help them secure healthy and productive futures.”
Kiwanis clubs and members conduct service projects, hold fundraisers and donate to the Kiwanis Children’s Fund. They change children’s lives in their own communities and through international initiatives by working with communities to address their individual needs. They build playgrounds, purchase medical equipment, stuff backpacks with school supplies, restock libraries and much more.
“The Kiwanis Club of South Oakland County is providing an essential service to the community,” said Michigan State Representative Karen Whitsett (D-Detroit). “These young adults need these services; it is literally life changing and I am so grateful to MAHP for recognizing that these are services that need to be supported and uplifted.”
Representative Karen Whitsett brought the work of the Kiwanis Club of South Oakland County to MAHP’s attention.
To learn more or provide support to The Kiwanis Club, please visit kiwanis.org
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