Rite Aid Foundation donates $100,000 to Hurley Children's Hospital in Flint, Mich.

CAMP HILL, Pa. - The Rite Aid Foundation's KidCents program announced Thursday a $100,000 donation to Hurley Children's Hospital to help address the long-term effects of the Flint water crisis. The donation will support Hurley Children's Hospital's Nutrition Prescription Program and will provide 10,000 fruit and vegetable prescriptions to all pediatric patients 6-months and older. 

 

The prescription, which will be provided at each primary care visit, can be redeemed for up to $10 of fresh fruits and vegetables at the Flint Farmer's Market.  

 

Rite Aid representatives presented the donation to Michigan State University and Hurley Children's Hospital Pediatric Public Health Initiative director Mona Hanna-Attisha and Hurley Foundation president Richard Warmbold today at Hurley Children's Center located inside the Flint Farmers Market at 300 East First Street in Flint.  

 

"Good nutrition is an important part of being healthy and that's especially true for young children, whose bodies are still developing," stated Tracy Henderson, Rite Aid Foundation and Charitable Giving Initiatives director. "The Rite Aid Foundation's support of Hurley Children's Hospital's Nutrition Prescription Program will provide Flint area children with access to fresh fruits and vegetables rich in iron, calcium and Vitamin C, all of which can help reduce the amount of lead absorbed by the body. We are proud to support this unique program, one which we believe helps address long-term effects of Flint water crisis and result in improved health outcomes for Flint area children."   

 

In Michigan, Rite Aid employs more than 4,200 at its 275 stores and distribution center, including 115 associates at its eight stores in the city of Flint.  

 

"Our Flint children deserve every opportunity to be healthy and successful," Hanna-Attisha said. "The creation of Rite Aid's generous donation will further ensure that our children are afforded the interventions to overcome this population-wide lead exposure. With over 15,000 visits per year, the Hurley Children's Center serves the largest number of Medicaid children in Genesee County. This gift allows us to not only encourage better nutrition, but also exposes pediatric patients to nutritious foods, helping to form good eating habits for life while helping mitigate the effects of lead."   

 

Rite Aid has been a longtime supporter of Hurley Children's Hospital through its sponsorship of Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. Since 1994, Rite Aid has raised more than $522,000 for Hurley Children's Hospital.