It’s the third day of my 12 Days of Charitable Giving. Readers have suggested deserving charities over the past few weeks and I’ll be posting one a day for – well, 12 days (I’m clever that way). Today’s charity is Family Hope Foundation.
Family Hope Foundation provides resources, activities, support, and funding for therapies to families of children with special needs in West Michigan. Those needs may be physical, emotional, or developmental.
Through Family Hope Foundation’s Therapy Scholarship Program, children who need therapy but have little financial support can get the services they need. Family Hope Foundation offers financial assistance for therapy that is not covered by insurance with scholarships of up to and including $1,000 per applicant.
Family Hope Foundation’s Family Fun Events offers families a healthy social experience, creating a sense of community, where families can relax and everyone can be themselves without worry and stress. Past events have included a night at Grand Rapids DRIVE semi-professional basketball team’s game with activities hosted by the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum as well as a Family Night at the Visser YMCA where families enjoyed a pizza dinner, rock climbing wall, swimming, basketball, and soccer.
An additional goal of the Family Hope Foundation is advocacy: to change the public perception of individuals with special needs, to focus on ability rather than disability.
So how can you help?
To make a one-time donation via PayPal, you can click over to the website.
Donations may also be sent by mail to:
Family Hope Foundation
7086 8th Avenue
Jenison, MI 49428
In 2012, Family Hope Foundation established an endowment with the Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area. If you would like to help Family Hope Foundation build strength for the future, gifts to the endowment may be sent to:
Community Foundation Holland/Zeeland Area
85 East 8th Street, Suite 110
Holland, MI 49423
Note: Family Hope Foundation Endowment on the memo line
As always, you want to make sure that your donation is going to a qualified charitable organization. A search using the IRS’ Exempt Organizations Select Check reveals that Family Hope Foundation is on the list. To find out more about the work of the organization, check out their website, like them on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter. To get on their mailing list, click here.
Remember: submissions to the 12 Days of Charitable Giving are made by readers and in most cases, I can’t personally vouch for the good work that these folks do. So be generous. But be smart. Do your homework.
For more on making charitable donations, check out this post.
For other charities in the series: