MILWAUKEE, April 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — To support the evolving safety needs of healthcare providers and patients, Northwestern Mutual, through its Foundation, is contributing more than $200,000 to Children’s Wisconsin for COVID-19 relief efforts. This donation includes the creation, retooling and manufacturing of personal protective equipment, including masks and gowns, as well as meal gift cards to staff and families at the MACC Fund Center.
Children’s Wisconsin is a longstanding partner of the Northwestern Mutual Foundation through its Childhood Cancer Program, which is committed to finding cures, providing family and patient support and aiding survivors who struggle with the late effects of treatment.
“Currently, there is no greater need than helping to ensure the health and safety of our community members,” said Eric Christophersen, president, Northwestern Mutual Foundation. “Providing hospitals with access to these essential supplies is just one way we can support our healthcare professionals as they work to protect patients and families, including those in the fight against childhood cancer.”
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, there is a growing need for personal protective equipment across the country. Northwestern Mutual provided $100,000 for replacement lenses for Controlled Air Purifying Respirators (CAPR), the preferred protective apparel when treating patients, to be used by the team at Children’s. Scottish Rite Valley of Milwaukee donated an additional $10,000 to support this effort.
- Northwestern Mutual is also supporting the hospital by funding a unique partnership with local arts organizations. The Milwaukee Ballet, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, the Florentine Opera and First Stage have repurposed their costume-making skills to sew masks, gowns and face shields for use by hospital staff. These critical supplies will help protect hospital healthcare workers, in addition to keeping vulnerable young patients, including those battling childhood cancer, safe.
Food Relief and Support
- Every day since the pandemic began, frontline workers – doctors, nurses, therapists and support staff – have been providing essential care for patients and their families. Northwestern Mutual has donated more than $6,000 in Grubhub meal gift cards to help cover food costs for these workers and inpatient families at the Children’s Wisconsin MACC Fund Center.
- The company has also contributed vouchers for childhood cancer families to use to purchase meals at the hospital in response to the closing of its family center cooking areas.
As part of its recent $1.5 million donation to local and national nonprofits in response to COVID-19, the company also supported the expansion of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation’s Travel for Care fund to help further address the challenges facing childhood cancer families. With the help of employees and financial advisors nationwide, the Northwestern Mutual Foundation’s Childhood Cancer Program has contributed more than $30 million, which includes funding over 400,000 hours of research to accelerate the search for a cure to pediatric cancer.
