The MiraMed Circle of Warmth: Physicians Helping Future Physicians' Street Medicine Initiatives

WILL YOU HELP THESE FUTURE PHYSICIANS' EFFORTS TO HELP THE HOMELESS?

December 10, 2020

The MiraMed Circle of Warmth, having reached the 25% goal for its third annual partnership with Empowerment Plan, so far this year has collected over $30,000 in donations from our staff, associates, clients and friends. Because of this great success, we are announcing that a second shipment of EMPWR Coats is being sent to another street medicine non-profit. 

In November we announced 150 coats were shipped to Wolverine Street Medicine a program founded by University of Michigan Medical School students in 2017. Their mission is to improve health of the homeless community, educate medical students on best practices in care and treatment of homeless people and raise awareness of health challenges associated with homelessness.

This month, the MiraMed Circle of Warmth campaign has donated 125 coats to Chicago Street Medicine. Chicago Street Medicine has three chapters in the Chicago area, affiliated with the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois Chicago. Since August 2017, they have been delivering healing to those experiencing unsheltered homelessness. Their website states, “We don't wait for people to come to us. We take the care to them.”

Last year some of our recipients, who received coat shipments when we reached our goal of collecting $125,000 in donations, stated:

“These have been just so HUGE!!! If you have more... I pray not to sound selfish or greedy, we could help more with them! We've gone through most of them already!!! “

–Jon Gray, Founder and CEO, Trials for Hope

“We are happy to be included as a recipient of such an innovative and helpful item, one that will surely help many struggling neighbors. Thank you!” 

–Megan Samelson, Communications Coordinator, Milwaukee Rescue Mission

“Thank you SO much for these AMAZING donations! We’re all very excited!”

–Kati Ballard Hoffman, Volunteer Coordinator, Peter & Paul Community Services

“What a generous and thoughtful thing your organization is doing for the homeless. We have a considerable homeless population here, and since we’re a small facility we’re unable to help as many of them as we would like. But with your generous donation, now we can!” 

–Gina Bissett, Program Coordinator, Good Samaritan Services

The MiraMed Circle of Warmth campaign, an endeavor spearheaded by the MiraMed Family of Companies, located in Jackson, Michigan, seeks to end the generational cycle of homelessness by producing durable coats that turn into sleeping bags. These coats are made by people striving to overcome homelessness and poverty. Donations to the Circle of Warmth keep them working. These donations support an entire network of people working to end homelessness with skills-based training and employment.

These coats will be handed out to the homeless community while the clinic provides medical attention as well as food and a connection to the communities’ local resources.

Please consider donating to the Circle of Warmth this winter as part of your holiday giving to help organizations like Wolverine Street Medicine and Chicago Street Medicine keep up the much-needed work they are doing in our communities.  Our goal is to collect $125,000 by the end of the month and your help is needed this year more than ever.