Maggie's Wigs4kids of Michigan

See schedule o"in 2023, Maggie's wigs 4 kids of Michigan had 112 wig consultations, fittings and self-image service appointments for the children in our program. 249 wig recipients, their parents & siblings participated in support services such as makeup & skin care classes, gardening, themed tea parties in our enchanted tea room, a field trip to the detroit zoo and more. We continued to offer onsite and virtual wig consultations via zoom to measure the children's heads right from their hospital beds with the assistance of nurse navigators and child life specialists.the nonprofit has serviced children & families from 55 Michigan counties and continues to work with all 8 hospitals in Michigan that provide pediatric oncology, u of m burn center, phoenix burn society, trichotillomania learning center, pediatricians, dermatologists, schools, churches, etc.in 2023, makeup & skin care classes were expanded upon, which help the children's self-esteem through a positive self-image. The classes are facilitated throughout the year by maggie varney, founder & ceo and professional makeup artists from multimedia makeup academy. The new vr 4 kids program was launched in 2023 it provides virtual reality headsets to wig recipients for a 30-day period where they can utilize them for pain management, meditation & relaxation whether in the hospital or at home. A total of 5,436 service hours were contributed by 200 volunteers over the course of 2023 which includes professional & nonprofessional volunteers, board, advisory board, honorary board & youth board members, Maggie's wigs 4 kids of Michigan employees and maggie varney, founder & ceo to help grow the program. Maggie's wigs 4 kids of Michigan continues to be embraced by the beauty industry; receiving support from 1,133 cosmetology schools, salons and beauty professional volunteers. The organization was recertified platinum level through guidestar by candid in 2023. Less than half of one percent of all nonprofits achieve this recognition. They are re-evaluated & honored yearly after meeting standards of financial transparency. 2023 also marked the first year Maggie's wigs 4 kids of Michigan was presented with an award by charity navigator 4 stars the highest a charity can receive from this watchdog group for its continued commitment to organizational excellence. Maggie's wigs 4 kids of Michigan continues its advocacy efforts to approach insurance companies about covering the cost of a child's wig like any other prosthetic. The organization pursues legislative support to get a bill passed to secure necessary funding toward providing wigs to meet the children's needs. It was fortunate to be awarded an enhancement grant to help provide wigs, support services and improve infrastructure at the wellness center. Hair donations were received by 68 countries around the world in 2023: 16,404 ponytails were given by generous individuals to be made into wigs for the children of Michigan."