Bee Mighty was founded by Candace and Michael Richter whose son, Shaw, was born at 27 weeks and spent 4 months in Hemby’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Bee Mighty pays for medical equipment and therapy that insurance does not cover for NICU graduates that could potentially face many needs in their development. Grants range from $200-$5,000 depending on need per applicant. Bee Mighty believes that traditional and alternative therapy can make a difference for a child facing developmental delays, and therefore covers both. Thus far, Bee Mighty has raised more than $250,000 from community donors.
This November 14th, Bee Mighty will hold it’s third annual Bee Something for Bee Mighty gala, presented by the Charlotte Hornets, who have been tremendous partners since Bee Mighty’s inception. The Hornets’ Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, who was born prematurely and spent some time with Bee Mighty kids last season, has served as an ambassador, encouraging those in the Charlotte community to get involved.
“I’m thrilled to be teaming up with Bee Mighty to help raise awareness for NICU graduates,” said Kidd-Gilchrist. “I was a preemie and spent time in the NICU after I was born so this is something that means a lot to me. It was great to spend time last year with some Bee Mighty alumni and I look forward to meeting more grads later this month.”
The fundraiser will be held locally with a goal to raise over 100k. Bee Mighty will also be celebrating their 100th local grant donation, a milestone they reached in August.
“Novant Health is so excited to be part of this remarkable initiative with two of our most valued partners. The Charlotte Hornets and Bee Mighty are incredible advocates for the children of our community and we are grateful for their commitment to our mighty warriors,” said Art Gallagher, Vice President of Novant Health Foundation.
Bee Mighty is a local organization helping local families in greater Mecklenburg and surrounding counties. Bee Mighty was established so that families can focus on each other and concentrate on the development of their child without the added stress of financial ruin. The Bee Mighty Fund is managed by The Novant Health Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)3.
For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit: www.beemighty.org.
Photo credit: Michael Richter, this is his son, Shaw.
