Meijer Donation Supports Development of Michigan's First Children's Rehabilitation Hospital

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In its latest effort to enrich lives in the community it serves, Midwest retailer Meijer announced a $3 million donation today to the Joan Secchia Children's Rehabilitation Hospital, a joint partnership between Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation and Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. The donation will help fund the construction of this new facility, bringing more innovative care for young patients who have experienced a life-changing injury or illness.

"As a family-owned company, we are humbled to give to organizations that provide hope and healing to so many families," Meijer President & CEO Rick Keyes said. "We're thrilled to be able to help Mary Free Bed and Helen DeVos Children's Hospital create the first children's rehabilitation hospital in Michigan and provide support to families in times of need."

The Joan Secchia Children's Rehabilitation Hospital will be a state-of-the-art, freestanding children's rehabilitation hospital dedicated to helping all kids achieve the best possible outcome through compassionate collaboration, innovation, and interdisciplinary care. The hospital will offer inpatient and outpatient services for children with a wide range of conditions, such as brain injury, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, multi-trauma, and cancer.

"We're incredibly grateful to Meijer for their generous support of our mission to restore hope and freedom to children and families," said Kent Riddle, CEO of Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation. "This donation will uplift families, empower communities, and make a lasting impact for thousands of children for generations to come."

The Joan Secchia Children's Rehabilitation Hospital is a joint venture between Mary Free Bed and Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children's Hospital and will be built on Wealthy Street across from the Mary Free Bed Grand Rapids Campus with a pedestrian walkway connecting the hospitals. The three-story facility will have 24 private inpatient rooms, sophisticated technology fit for children, and spaces for specialized services. 

"We're deeply appreciative of Meijer for investing not only in this new pediatric rehabilitation hospital, but also in our pediatric patients who will benefit from it for years to come," said Alejandro Quiroga, M.D., MBA, President, Corewell Health in West Michigan. "This $3 million gift will help our organizations continue our important missions and make positive impacts in our community."

Groundbreaking for the $70 million freestanding hospital is planned to take place this year, with expected completion in 2026.

To learn more about how Meijer has recently supported its communities, visit meijercommunity.com.

About Meijer: Meijer is a privately owned, family-operated retailer that serves customers at more than 500 supercenters, grocery stores, neighborhood markets, and express locations throughout the Midwest. As the pioneer of the one-stop shopping concept, more than 70,000 Meijer team members work hard to deliver a friendly, seamless in-store and online shopping experience featuring an assortment of fresh foods, high-quality apparel, household essentials, and health and wellness products and services. Meijer is consistently recognized as a Great Place to Work and annually donates at least 6 percent of its profit to strengthen its communities. Additional information on the company can be found by visiting newsroom.meijer.com.

About Mary Free Bed: Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation is a not-for-profit, internationally accredited, and nationally recognized leader in rehabilitation. What started with a single bed in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1891 has grown to a rehabilitation system with over 2,400 staff at over 60 locations in Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois. Last year, Mary Free Bed restored hope and freedom through rehabilitation for more than 90,000 children and adults. With more than 110 specialized medical and sports rehabilitation programs and an exclusive focus on rehabilitation, our specialized teams help patients achieve extraordinary clinical results. U.S. News & World Report and Newsweek rate Mary Free Bed as a national Best Rehabilitation Hospital for 2023-24. For more information, visit www.maryfreebed.com.

About Corewell Health: People are at the heart of everything we do, and the inspiration for our legacy of outstanding outcomes, innovation, strong community partnerships, philanthropy and transparency. Corewell Health is a not-for-profit health system that provides health care and coverage with an exceptional team of 60,000+ dedicated people—including more than 11,500 physicians and advanced practice providers and more than 15,000 nurses providing care and services in 21 hospitals, 300+ outpatient locations and several post-acute facilities—and Priority Health, a provider-sponsored health plan serving more than 1.3 million members. Through experience and collaboration, we are reimagining a better, more equitable model of health and wellness. For more information, visit corewellhealth.org.

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