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MDRT Members Present Grants to 22 Charities in April

Sally W. Munford presented a $25,000 grant to James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children

Below is a description of 22 of the 85 MDRT Foundation grants that were presented by MDRT members to charities benefiting MDRT member communities in 13 U.S. states and two countries.

Sally W. Munford, MSFS, CLU, a 21-year MDRT member from San Antonio, Texas, presented a $25,000 grant to James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, Indiana, on April 1, on behalf of Brian Christopher Moldt, CLU, LUTCF, a five-year MDRT member from Carmel, Indiana, who sponsored this grant.  This grant supports The Riley Mother and Baby Hospital in Kenya by providing equipment for the hospital, newborn ICU, obstetric unit, Caesarean delivery and operating rooms, classrooms, computers and the library.

John F. Glass, CLU, ChFC, a 37-year MDRT member from Phoenix, Arizona, received a Quality of Life Award from the MDRT Foundation honoring his volunteerism for Kids at Hope.  Glass presented the charity with a $2,500 grant on April 2, to teach a holistic educational program to educators in local schools.

Robelynn H. Abadie, LUTCF, RFC, a 13-year MDRT member from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, presented a $5,000 grant to Arlington Academy of Hope on April 4.  This grant provides a one-year secondary education scholarship for students in one class.

Richard J. Callahan, CLU, ChFC, a 25-year MDRT member from Lafayette, California, received a Quality of Life Award from the MDRT Foundation honoring his volunteerism for Family Aid-Catholic Education (FACE).  Callahan presented the charity with a $2,500 grant on April 5, to provide tuition assistance for elementary students from low-income families.

Scott C. Curran, CLU, ChFC, a 19-year MDRT member from Flanders, New Jersey, presented a $25,000 grant to Songs of Love Foundation on April 9.  This grant funds production of personalized songs for 225 children who are terminally or chronically ill, or have disabilities.

Howard L. Barto, CLU, ChFC, a 31-year MDRT member from San Ramon, California, received a Quality of Life Award from the MDRT Foundation honoring his volunteerism for Discovery Counseling Center.  Barto presented the charity with a $2,500 grant on April 11, to fund a curriculum-based drug and alcohol prevention program for youth in middle school.

Edward J. Dwyer, FLIA, a 28-year MDRT member from Cork, Ireland, presented a $5,000 grant to Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind on April 13.  This grant funds the costs of hiring additional staff members to increase guide dog training capabilities.

Adelia C. Chung, CLU, ChFC, a 26-year MDRT member from Honolulu, Hawaii, presented a $25,000 grant to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center on April 14.  This grant funds the Fred Hutchinson Medical Oncology Fellowship Training Program, which offers intensive training to national and international oncologists researching cellular and molecular cancer biology, especially hematopoietic (blood) cancers, immunotherapy and gene therapy.

Dorin Roxana Israelian, an eight-year MDRT member from Capital Federal, Argentina, presented a $3,550 grant to Fundacion Conin on April 14.  This grant partially funds the Integral Scholarship Project, which provides treatment for 50 children (ages 0-5) with moderate levels of malnutrition, as well as educational programs and workshops for their mothers during a 12-month period.

Louis G. Anthony, CLU, LUTCF, a 20-year MDRT member from Batavia, Illinois, presented a $15,000 grant to Hope International on April 15.  This grant funds the Changing Lives by Improving Livelihoods program, which finances loan portfolio growth for people in the Lubumbashi area of the Congo.

Felix R. Baz-Dresch, CLU, ChFC, a 30-year MDRT member from Leawood, Kansas, presented a $15,000 grant to Shadow Buddies Foundation on April 17.  This grant funds the Vision Buddy Program, which provides multicultural dolls for pediatric optometrists and ophthalmologists to use as teaching tools with young patients.

Allan W. Newberry, CLU, a 37-year MDRT member from Dallas, Texas, presented a $10,000 grant to Mary Crowley Cancer Research Center on April 17.  This grant defrays underinsured medical expenses, as well as other cancer-related hardship expenses for patients and their families.

Sherry K. Barton, CLU, a 20-year MDRT member from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, presented a $5,000 grant to Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma on April 17.  This grant funds the Food for Kids program, which provides food, backpacks and other supplies for elementary school children affected by hunger and poverty.

Thomas Phillip Webb, ChFC, AEP, a 16-year MDRT member from Daphne, Alabama, presented a $2,500 grant to Santa-America on April 17.  This grant helps fund the cost of two training DVD's, specialized training initiatives, and gifts for children in hospice care and children with chronic pediatric illness.

Deborah L. Anderson, ChFC, CLU, an 18-year MDRT member from Corona Del Mar, California, presented a $25,000 grant to Free Wheelchair Mission on April 20.  This grant provides two overseas containers of 550 wheelchairs each, which will transform the lives of 1,100 people with disabilities and their families in Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

John R. Mueller, CLU, MSFS, a 27-year MDRT member from Brookfield, Wisconsin, presented a $2,500 grant to Journey House on April 18.  This grant helps fund the salary of qualified staff to provide youth with tutoring, ACT/SAT test prep, and help with college selection and college application process.

Fred A. Gawlick, CLU, ChFC, a 23-year MDRT member from San Jose, California, presented a $2,500 grant to HOPE Services on April 24.  This grant funds the expenses of remodeling and renovating the program site to accommodate clients and their wheelchairs.

James M. Tilden, CLU, ChFC, a 29-year MDRT member from Western Springs, Illinois, presented a $2,500 grant to KAN-WIN (Korean American Women in Need) on April 24.  This grant supports the Suburban Violence Prevention Youth Outreach Project to provide counseling and educational programs for children and their mothers.

John D. Dempsey, CLU, ChFC, a 12-year MDRT member from Elmer, New Jersey, presented a $2,500 grant to Covenant Mercies on April 25.  This grant funds the construction of the New Life School in the first two phases of the project.

Marc A. Silverman, CLU, ChFC, a 24-year MDRT member from Miami, Florida, presented a $25,000 grant to Chairscholars Foundation on April 26.  This grant supports national and local scholarship programs for students with disabilities.

Thomas A. Polenzani, CLU, ChFC, a 17-year MDRT member from Pasadena, California, presented a $5,000 grant to Foothill Vocational Opportunities on April 29.  This grant creates three new staff positions to support the Transitional Pathways program that serves adults with disabilities.

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View a listing of all grant recipients in the Grant Programs section of the MDRT Foundation Web site .