Since January of 2007, Children's Miracle Network and the Miss America Organization have been partners in mutual fundraising for both of their organizations. During the final night of preliminary competition of the Miss America 2008 pageant, it was announced that fundraising for the past year had reached more than $1 million. It was also announced that three scholarship awards were granted as reward for the extraordinary efforts in helping to raise such a large amount. Two of the scholarships were for states that exceeded all others in specific areas and the third was for the Miss America contestant that raised the highest amount during her competition.
Miss Massachusetts Valerie J. Amaral was awarded Miss Miracle Maker 2008 and received a $5,000 scholarship for raising the highest amount of donations for a contestant. The Miss South Carolina Pageant was given the Miracle Maker award, and a $5,000 scholarship, for being the state that raised the highest amount of total donations. The Miss Louisiana Organization also received a $5,000 scholarship and a Miracle Maker award as the state that raised the most money per contestant.
All of the money that was raised in 2007 was by women competing at the local, state, and national levels of Miss America pageants. Young women throughout the United States have enthusiastically adopted the National Platform and have become actively involved in visiting hospitals, volunteering and helping raise funds for the Children's Miracle Network hospital in their community. They are also raising money through a variety of online means, including sending e-mails to family, friends and their communities and a through special website, www.MissAmerica4Kids.org.
Children's Miracle Network was selected last year as the official National Platform for the Miss America Organization. This partnership represents the first time in the 86-year history of the Miss America Organization that they have adopted such a program. Children's Miracle Network has had an 18-year history working with the Miss America Organization, with this newest initiative signifying an on-going relationship between the two.
The new partnership has provided opportunities for the Miss America Organization to not only raise funds and awareness for the 17 million children treated each year at the 170 Children's Miracle Network hospitals, but also for the Miss America Scholarship Program, the world's largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women, providing more than $45 million in cash and tuition scholarship assistance to them each year.
Jim Hall, President and CEO of Children's Miracle Network, said, "We are so grateful for this unique fund raising opportunity that not only helps kids in children's hospitals, but also furthers the education of young women through the Miss America scholarship program."
"What we can achieve when we work together as an organization never stops amazing me," said Art McMaster, President and CEO of the Miss America Organization. "In just one year, our state and local contestants raised over $1 million for children's hospitals throughout the country and with the help of our wonderful network of volunteers we were able to create miles of miracle smiles."
