Health Promotions has new co-chairs, Kathy Kendall and Sandi Winston, and they have planned a number of activities aimed toward promoting healthy lifestyles.  Please contact either of them if you would like to join their committee. 

Doctors and Their Families Make a Difference

KCMSA collects and donates needed items to local domestic crisis shelters to provide basic comforts to women and children living in transitional housing.

For twelve years, KCMSA members have supported the MSMS Foundation, MSMS physician members, Alliance members, and their families in helping to provide basic comforts to women and children living in Michigan’s family crisis shelters. Each year our members collect much-needed personal care items for families who often arrive at shelters with nothing more than the clothes on their backs.

Shelter Needs Include:
1. Diapers, pull-ups and wipes
2. Cleaning products (incl. bleach, laundry detergent, etc)
3. Baby food and formula
4. Deodorant
5. Toothbrushes and toothpaste
6. Over-the-counter flu, cold and pain medicines
7. Feminine products
8. Socks and underwear for children and adults
9. Ethnic hair products
10. Gas and phone cards

Participating is easy, fun and meaningful for medical families, staff and friends of medicine. KCMSA members can help in this effort simply by donating a few of the needed items or distributing empty bags in their neighborhoods or to other groups.  The filled bags are then collected at the KCMSA Holiday Tea and delivered to local shelters.  IDonations will be delivered to the Kent County YWCA Domestic Crisis Center.  For more information and bags, contact Mary Crawford or email info@kcmsalliance.org.

Rays of Hope for Haiti Medical Donation Resource Room

OPEN HOUSE - Sunday, October 18, 1-4pm.  KCMS and KCMSA members invited.
Walk through the Medical Resource Donation Center.  See the facility and supplies available for medical mission trips around the world.  Refreshments will be served.

New this year, KCMSA members will be collecting medical supplies on an ongoing basis rather than once a year as in previous years.  Supplies will be delivered to Rays of Hope for Haiti, a non-denominational organization that sends medical supplies to Haiti as well as other locations and supplies medical mission trips with supplies free of charge. 

So far in 2009, Rays of Hope's Medical Resource Donation Center has donated medical supplies to medical mission programs in 27 underdeveloped or impoverished nations.  They have also donated supplies to local programs for both educational and medical use.  Rays of Hope operates on a volunteer basis to serve the most needy.

Rays of Hope needs your volunteer help!  Volunteers are needed to help with sorting on Tuesdays between the hours of 10am and 3pm at the Medical Donation Resource Center: Loading Dock 6, 446 Grandville Ave SW, Grand Rapids.  No medical experience is needed!  For more information or to let us know you can help us help others, please contact Rays of Hope at (616) 633-4258 or Kathy Kendall or email info@kcmsalliance.org.