Making Miracles Happen for Local Kids

Children’s Miracle Network at Freeman Health System raises funds for local children and families. Families can receive assistance for medical needs, such as prescriptions, medical equipment, and specialty care. Funds are also raised to support Freeman pediatricians and maternal/child departments, including Freeman Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Freeman Maternity Center and in-patient pediatric departments, for pediatric equipment, medical supplies, educational programs and more. One hundred percent of every dollar raised locally stays local – donations help children and their families in 14 counties in Missouri, Oklahoma and Kansas.

Assistance Programs

Children’s Miracle Network at Freeman Health System has several different assistance programs to support our local children. Through Direct Family Assistance, families can obtain specialty equipment, travel assistance and other medically necessary items. The Miracle Service Dog program awards two specially trained service dogs to meet the need of the child and family. Every child that comes to Freeman Health System for care receives a comfort pack from the Higgins Heroes. These packs make staying in the hospital a little easier.

Children’s Miracle Network Direct Family Assistance Program is designed to aid CMN qualified patients, from birth to 21 years of age.

What do we assist with?

  • Travel assistance to specialists outside of the Joplin area
  • Travel assistance for families of Freeman NICU patients residing outside of a 20-mile radius of Freeman Health System
  • Medically necessary equipment
  • Medically necessary prescription medication

Are you eligible?

Any Freeman Health System referred patient ages birth to 21 years of age residing in one of our 14 service counties is eligible for Direct Family Assistance. The application will need to be renewed on a 12-month basis to continue receiving services. Freeman and/or Ozark Center patient affiliation should be maintained to continue receiving services after the initial 12- month period. If you can answer yes to any of the follow questions the child should qualify for Direct Family Assistance:

  • Does the child currently see a Freeman Health System employed physician?
  • Was the child born at Freeman Health System and/or received Freeman NICU services in the last 12 months?
  • Does the child currently receive services at Freeman Pediatric Therapies, Bill & Virginia Leffen Center for Autism, Will’s Place, or Ozark Center Turnaround Ranch?
  • Does the child obtain medications or medical equipment from Quick Meds pharmacy or Health Essentials?
  • Has the child received services at Freeman Health System, including the Emergency Room or Urgent Care, in the last 12 months?
  • Is one of the child’s parents/legal guardians a current employee of Freeman Health System or Ozark Center?

Service Counties

  • Missouri – Barton, Jasper, Newton, McDonald, Vernon
  • Kansas – Allen, Bourbon, Cherokee, Crawford, Labette, Neosho, Wilson, Woodson
  • Oklahoma – Ottawa
Apply For Assistance

For more information, please call our office at 417.347.6639

What is the Miracle Service Dog Program?

The Children’s Miracle Network Miracle Service Dog Program ensures the placement of service dogs to children with special medical needs. Service dogs are individually trained to meet specific needs of the child and their condition. Service dogs can be trained to respond and alert to seizures, redirect repetitive behaviors, tether and locate a wandering child, interrupt self-harm and perform countless other tasks. The CMN team at Freeman is awarding up to two service dogs per year to qualifying children and their families to help meet the overwhelming need in the community.

Apply For A Service Dog

For more information, please call our office at 417.347.6639

In 1987, Bob Higgins became a hero for children of the four-state area when he facilitated the establishment of the Children’s Miracle Network program at Freeman Health System. Thanks to Bob and his wife, Bea’s dedication to CMN, every pediatric admit receives a Higgins Heroes comfort pack in their honor. Items in the pack make staying in the hospital a little easier for our tiniest patients.

What does Higgins Heroes provide?

  • Hero packs for pediatric in-patients and NICU families
  • Sensory hero packs for children with sensory issues seeking treatment in the Freeman Emergency Department
  • Toy inventory, entertainment, hospitality items, technology
  • Community-focused education

In Memory of Bob Higgins, 1922-2020

For more information or to donate, please call 417.347.6639.

Donate Now

Get Involved

Children’s Miracle Network has countless ways for you and your family to help make miracles happen for local kids:

Volunteer
Give Today
Become a Children's Miracle Network Ambassador

Our National Partners and Programs

At Children’s Miracle Network, we partner with some of the most generous companies in North America. The employees and customers of our partners have created countless miracles at your local Children’s Miracle Network, $1 at a time. From selling our iconic Miracle Balloons and round-up campaigns to selling ice cream, all partners support Children’s Miracle Network in their own unique way. Together, we are making a difference in the lives of more kids and their families. In 2023, our wonderful National Partners raised over $300,000.

Since 1987, Walmart and Sam’s Club have been a proud partner of Children’s Miracle Network and their mission to change kids health and change the future. Through the efforts of their awesome associates and generous customers over $4.3 million has been raised for Freeman Health System. In 2023, our Walmart & Sam’s Club locations raised $231,896. Locally, Sam’s Club #6415 has been the #1 Sam’s Club Nationally in fundraising efforts since 2020.

Support fundraising efforts in store in June-July 2024.

Love’s Travel Stops has been a dedicated Children’s Miracle Network partner since 1999 and has cumulatively raised $377,530 for Freeman Health System. Their partnership is hallmarked by their 4-week balloon icon campaign in the fall. In 2023, Love’s increased their support to include participating in year-round round-up. In 2024, Love’s will open two new locations in our market!

Support fundraising efforts in store at the register year-round.

As the fastest growing Children’s Miracle Network national partner, Panda Restaurant Group has been a network partner since 2007 and a local partner since 2015. Our market was lucky to gain a second location in Pittsburg, Kansas. Through a year-round register ask, Panda Express employees and their passionate customers have raised over $154,126 in monetary donations since our partnership started. In 2023, the two locations raised $36,563.

Support fundraising efforts by donating at the register year-round.

Ace Hardware and their 5,000+ co-operative stores have been raising funds for Children’s Miracle Network since 1991 and local Ace Hardware locations have generously donated over $130,000. The first weekend in August, traditionally is marked for Ace Bucket Days, where customers can buy a $5 Bucket for CMN and gain a discount on almost anything they can fit into the bucket. In 2022, Freeman Health System was awarded the Helping Hand Ace grant, totaling $17,000, from the Ace Foundation. CMN at Freeman used these funds to provide the Freeman Neonatal Intensive Care Unit a new Giraffe warmer.

Support fundraising efforts by donating at the register throughout the year.

Since 1984 Dairy Queen has been a dedicated partner to bettering the health of local children. Local owners, crew members, and committed fans have raised almost $150,000 through round-up campaigns, Miracle Icon campaigns, Miracle Treat Day, Dip It for Kids, and so much more!

Support fundraising efforts throughout the summer months by purchasing a balloon through the Miracle Icon campaign or buying a Blizzard treat on Miracle Treat Day.

Through various fundraising activities such as, Icon Campaigns, Skip-A-Payment programs, and Miracle Jeans Days local Credit Unions have been raising funds for Children’s Miracle Network since 1996. Cumulatively, Joplin Metro Credit Union, Legacy Credit Union, and Great Plains Federal Credit Union have raised $216,959 for local children and their families.

Extra Life was founded in 2008 to honor the life of Victoria Enmon. As she spent years battling leukemia, video games provided her with an escape. Extra Life is a program that allows anyone to change kids’ health and change the future by playing games and fundraising. Today, the Extra Life community is made of gamers, live streamers, content creators, podcasters, and everyday heroes who simply want to support local kids by playing games. Since 2011, Extra Lifers in the Joplin-Pittsburg area have raised over $14,000 to support pediatric healthcare at Freeman Health System.

Sign up at www.extra-life.org!

Children’s Miracle Network

Office Address:

921 E. 34th St., Suite A
Joplin, MO

Phone: 417.347.6639
Email: [email protected]

Mailing Address:

1102 W. 32nd St.
Joplin, MO 64804

Director:

Brandy Miller-Turner, Development and Children’s Miracle Network Director

Phone: 417.347.6658 | Fax: 417.347.0550
Email: [email protected]

Direct Family Assistance:

Izzy Medrano, Family Relations Coordinator

Phone: 417.347.3793 | Fax: 417.347.0333
Email: [email protected]

National Partners & Programs

Laura Gullett, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Program Coordinator

Phone: 417.347.4622 | Fax: 417.347.0558
Email: [email protected]