MOMF Receives $10,000 Challenge Grant, Needs Your Help Finding New Donors
The Miracles of Mitch Foundation has received a generous $10,000 challenge grant from The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation. For every new donor supporting MOMF's Home Rescue Team program from now until July 31, the organization will generously match their donation dollar for dollar up to a total of $10,000.

The Home Rescue Team program offers pediatric cancer families assistance with paying their mortgage, rent, property tax, utilities and other home-related expenses. In cases when a family is out of town for treatment, the program may help pay for temporary lodging or lawn care services. What a great way to make an even bigger impact with your donation!

Consider sending a link to this page to any friends who want to make a difference in the lives of pediatric cancer families.

To inquire if you are eligible for this special matching grant, please CLICK HERE.

First-time donors wishing to download a matching grant form, which must be signed and either faxed or mailed to MOMF, can CLICK HERE.

Partner Profile: Cargill

When people think about Cargill, they often picture a large international company that seems to be everywhere in the world, but not really in their own back yards. Nothing could be further from the truth. From the employees working at thousands of facilities across the globe, to many of the items in your refrigerator or on your dinner table, to the millions of dollars it invests back into the communities in which it does business, Cargill impacts all of us. For The Miracles of Mitch Foundation, nowhere is that impact felt more strongly than through Cargill’s annual title sponsorship of the MiracleKids Triathlon.

“The MiracleKids Triathlon has really captivated Cargill employee involvement on both a volunteer and participation basis,” says Mike LeSage, vice president of Risk Management for Cargill and a member of the triathlon leadership team. “What started out as a trial involvement has grown into one of our favorite annual events as close to 1,000 employees have volunteered or brought their children/ grandchildren to race. Often, employees have also made personal donations or pledges to these kids racing. Since 2005, Cargill Business Units have contributed close to $750,000 to the Miracles of Mitch Foundation through this event.”

Cargill is an international producer and marketer of food, agricultural, financial and industrial products and services. Founded in 1865,this privately held company headquartered in Wayzata, Minn., employs 138,000 people in 67 countries.Cargill helps customers succeed through collaboration and innovation, andis committed to sharingits global knowledge and experience to help meet economic, environmental and social challenges.

Cargill has also shared its knowledge and experience through the many employees who have been involved with the triathlon – many in planning roles. According to Schiller, three things about the event have captured the spirit of Cargill employees and resulted in a strong partnership: “what,” “who” and “why.” First, the “what”: a triathlon event focused on participation and fun in a unique sport combining three life-long fitness sports into one. Schiller adds that the triathlon wasn’t like the many "thon" events such as marathons, walk-a-thons, and ride-a-thons that Cargill is usually asked to sponsor.

Secondly, the “who”: kids. Schiller notes that Cargill has had a long history of supporting various kids’ causes, especially for at-risk youth groups. But with the recent epidemic of childhood obesity becoming a concern, and one of Cargill’s community focus areas concentrating on nutrition and health, the timing was right for an event that inspired kids to exercise and lead healthier lives.

Third, the “why”: Kids Racing for Kids Who Can't. Schiller believes this theme is key in that the event centers on something more significant than winning. “The idea that each participant was racing

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for a child who has battled cancer is what brings it all together,” he says. “The Cargill employees have embraced the theme as a way to teach their kids about community service, being charitable, and realizing that each of us can make a difference.”

Cargill has also made a difference by supporting other MOMF events, such as the Minnesota Miracle New Year’s Eve Celebration, Miracle Open Golf Challenge and Shoot for a Miracle. However, it’s the MiracleKids Triathlon where Cargill has truly made its mark.

“Our sponsorship of the MiracleKids Triathlon has been a hugely successful, win-win partnership for Cargill and The Miracles of Mitch Foundation,” says LeSage. “The event offers an exciting and fun volunteer experience for Cargill employees and benefits a great nonprofit organization that’s touching many lives right here in our headquarters community. We look forward to watching the event continue to grow and playing a major role in that growth not only in Minneapolis, but hopefully in other communities across the country.”

Partner Profile: Hilton MSP Airport Hotel
Every day, hundreds of people traveling from across the country for business make the Hilton Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport Mall of America Hotel their home away from home. What they don’t realize is that throughout the year, the Hilton, which is located in Bloomington, Minn., has also become a home away from home – if only for two nights – for the families of pediatric cancer patients enjoying a Minnesota Miracle weekend. This is just one of the many ways that the Hilton, “the hotel with a heart,” supports the mission of The Miracles of Mitch Foundation (MOMF).

“We are proud to partner with The Miracles of Mitch Foundation,” says Hilton General Manager Chuck Goldberg. “The experiences we have shared with these families as part of the Minnesota Miracle weekends have not only been truly loved by our staff, but they also exemplify the vision of Hilton’s founder, Conrad Hilton. He once said our mission is to bring light and warmth to those guests who choose to make a temporary home with us whether for one day or one month. The Minnesota Miracle weekend does just that for these families.”

When MOMF co-founder Steve Chepokas began developing the Minnesota Miracle idea in 2005, Shawn Anderson, the Hilton’s current Vice President and Director of Sales and Marketing, played a pivotal role. As collaborative effort between MOMF, the Hilton and Mall of America®, the program was created to offer mini family getaways resembling Disney World vacations, but right in the foundation’s backyard. Since that time, the Hilton hosts Minnesota Miracles almost every weekend of the year, welcoming 82 families last year alone.

These mini vacations offer everything for a stress-free weekend getaway: two adjoining rooms; age-appropriate toys for the patient and any accompanying siblings; pre-paid Visa gift card to use for a shopping spree or weekend incidentals; Holiday gas card if needed; Nickelodeon Universe® and Underwater Adventures® Aquarium passes; Mall of America® coupon books; MOMF gift items; Hilton breakfast vouchers and kitchen tours with Hilton Executive Chef Eric Baker.

The Hilton staff plays an integral role in each Minnesota Miracle weekend. From booking reservations and decorating rooms with MOMF balloons and toys that MOMF has specially selected for the patient and siblings, to the front desk greeting, they provide a welcoming atmosphere. By forgetting about the challenges of cancer treatment, if only for two days, the families create special memories to last a lifetime.

“My child forgot about cancer for the first time since diagnosis,” says Linda, mother of 14-year-old Queen. “That made this a miracle weekend for me.”

Although the Hilton-MOMF partnership was well established when Goldberg became the hotel’s general manager in 2007, his giving heart looked for ways to expand the partnership. Whenever MOMF requests something for its cancer families, Chuck responds, “Whatever you need.”

In addition to the Minnesota Miracle program, the Hilton generously purchases sponsorships and offers both wine-paired dinners and Presidential Suite packages as live auction items for most MOMF fundraising events, generating thousands of additional dollars annually.

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During the past five years, the strongest example of the Hilton’s commitment to MOMF events is its involvement in the Minnesota Miracle New Year’s Eve Celebration. Hilton not only provides the venue for this family gala, but also creates special hotel packages for guests. Anderson and Goldberg, as well as Group Sales Manager Tammy King, also serve as important members of the event steering committee. Hilton staffers negotiate contracts with food and beverage suppliers to include in-kind donations to this event in order to increase the amount of money raised for MOMF. In 2009, 560 people attended the event, which sold out for the first time and netted more than $78,000.

Whether it’s offering families a break from their battle against cancer, or aiding The Miracles of Mitch Foundation in raising its mission-critical funds, the Hilton Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport Mall of America Hotel is truly the “hotel with a heart.”

“Working with The Miracles of Mitch Foundation to help create the Minnesota Miracle weekend program and New Year's Eve Celebration has been a magical experience,” says Anderson. “To see these initiatives grow from the very beginning to present day is remarkable and a testament to a group of people whose goal is to help make a difference for others. I cannot think of a more fitting definition of the word ‘hospitality,’ and I am so proud to be a part of their success."

Partner Profile: CHCM
The Miracles of Mitch Foundation is proud to be a member of Community Health Charities Minnesota, a federation of 35 leading health research and service charities fighting chronic illness. CHCM partners with employers to enhance their charitable giving programs. They provide employees with meaningful ways to connect with the health charities of their choice through volunteerism, education and workplace giving.  

CHCM is the Minnesota affiliate of Community Health Charities, the nation's second largest workplace giving organization, and the only organization of its kind devoted exclusively to improving lives affected by chronic illness.  

To learn more about Community Health Charities Minnesota, please visit www.healthcharitiesmn.org. If you'd like get your organization involved with CHCM, please contact Mike Krance at mike@miraclesofmitch.org.