This month we decided to split our monthly donation between two great causes that both center around the health and well-being of children. Wonders & Worries and the Dell Children’s Miracle Network.
Wonders & Worries was founded in 2001 by Meredith Cooper and Melissa Hicks. Since inception, they have helped more than 5,000 children and their parents and over 1,250 Central Texas families. Wonders & Worries remains the only program in the nation offering comprehensive support and coping services to children by child life staff, a field that focuses on supporting children in a medical crisis with deep knowledge of child development and family systems. Their programming includes individual and group support for children ages 2-18, parents consultations, family fun events, and bereavement support. Services are always provided free of charge in English and Spanish at any of the three Austin-area locations. Staff also travel within the 10 surrounding school districts, hospitals, treatment and community centers, and homes as needed.
Wonders & Worries receives no government support so they rely on the generosity of individuals, businesses, and foundations to keep their services free of charge. People interested in learning more about Wonders & Worries can visit www.wondersandworries.org. You will find information about upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, and ways to invest in their mission.Their vision is to have Wonders & Worries programs available across North America so that people outside of the Austin-area are able to access their services. The first step is expansion to other Texas cities and they hope to begin this expansion within the next few years.
We also partnered with Costco and the Dell Children’s Miracle Network in their May fundraising drive for the CMN. Costco Wholesale, headquartered in Seattle, has raised more than $211 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals since 1988. Currently, 580 warehouses in 100 markets participate in the fundraising campaign for their local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital.
In May, Costco participates in a month-long Miracle Balloon Campaign at all warehouses in the United States and Canada. Costco employees’ hearts are as big as the warehouses they work in. Along with the Miracle Balloon Campaign, there are many warehouses that run other programs to raise money to increase their fundraising totals. They have special lunches that employees can participate, car washes, races and walks, and dozens of other creative fundraising activities. They also have a great program that includes their vendors, where they sell the larger Miracle Balloons to sponsors to hang up in their warehouse showing their support of the campaign. We were able to participate in one of these additional campaigns to help increase their fundraising numbers and are very grateful to be able to give to such great causes.
