McDaniel College’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and Phi Mu sorority are partnering to fundraise for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals through their “Cheesin’ For Children” event.
On November 13, fraternity and sorority members will offer students on campus grilled cheese, bacon, Nutella, peanut butter, and marshmallow sandwiches ranging from $2 to $2.50. Proceeds will be donated to CMNH, a cause to which the brothers and sisters are dedicated.
“Children’s Miracle Network is SAE’s national philanthropy, meaning every active chapter and even our nationals donate and help where we can to the cause,” said Steven Morella, a McDaniel senior and former president of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. In the 17 years since partnering with the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, the fraternity has raised over $800,000.
CMNH is also Phi Mu’s national philanthropy.
“Originally we had a smaller idea in mind that we were going to do on our own,” said Phi Mu sophomore Jaid Nicely, but that turned into a bigger philanthropy with SAE because our partnership with them gives us the opportunity to double the amount of participants and hopefully get a bigger turnout.”
According to Nicely, some of her sorority sisters have seen the effects of their philanthropy first-hand by touring Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore to learn about the children and to see how the donations are used.
“It’s one thing to give money to a cause,” Nicely added, “but to see the impact it actually makes is super important.”
CMNH began in 1983 as a nonprofit to support 22 hospitals. Today, it has grown to 170 member hospitals across North America. Many people recognize CMNH from their Miracle Balloon campaign that seeks to encourage people to donate $1 at a time to the charity. Each year more than 30 million balloons are printed.
Medicaid and private insurance programs often do not cover the full cost of healthcare for children. CMNH seeks to provide affordable care to children and often looks to donations and support from the community to meet the needs of the 10 million families that come to the hospitals every year.
According to the Hospital’s website, every minute, 62 children enter a CMNH hospital, and 1 in 10 children in North America are treated at a CMN hospital every year. Donations stay local, and funds often go to “critical treatments and healthcare services, pediatric medical equipment and charitable care.”
For those interested in donating to this cause, there are multiple opportunities to support local CMNH hospitals, and the next Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Phi Mu sandwich fundraiser is tentatively set for December 6 and 7. CMNH also holds programs such as Extra Life, My Miracle Birthday, Mediathon, and various Dance Marathons. Information about these events can be found on their website.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Phi Mu’s Cheesin’ for Children will be held from 8 – 11 p.m. on Tuesday, November 13th.
