MEMBERconnection
Making a difference
aAgaraincset
MOPST PARENTS
WITH a newborn
can feel overwhelmed. Parents
of a premature child, whose
preemie status can lead to a
host of physical problems, can
be devastated.
Actress Jessica Biel with All this makes the achievements
President Bill Clinton at his time
of Nicole Schmidt and Erik Skulte,
’07 Clinton Global Initiative. whose son, Alex, was born at just 26 a charitable organization dedicated to
weeks, particularly amazing. funding pediatric brain-injury
NSchmidt and Skulte, Costco members in Milford, Connecticut, have
not only devoted themselves to help-
weotr- research. “One in eight newborns is a
preemie,” says Schmidt. “But only a
tiny percentage of NIH [National
king ing Alex, now just over a year old, as Institutes of Health] funding goes to
he struggles with disabilities from premature babies.”
two severe brain hemorrhages, sei- And Alex? For a child doctors
fgooro zures and meningitis, but have cre- thought might not even be able to
ated a foundation to help other walk, Schmidt says, “He’s walking
d parents of preemies. with help, and his speech is right
“When we got over the shock,” on schedule for his age.”
says Schmidt, “we thought, ‘Every- —T. Foster Jones
causes thing happens for a reason. Let”stur n
this into something positive.’ ”
The Baby Alex Foundation
( www.babyalexfoundation.com) is
ELLEN LEVY
FOR ANY NONPROFIT organization, fund-raising is a challenge. A new Web site is
trying to change that.
Make the Difference Network (www.
mtdn.com) was founded by actress
Jessica Biel and her father, Costco member Jon Biel, after a profound experience
with a young man afflicted with muscular
dystrophy. “Jesse developed a relationship
with the family,” recalls Jon Biel. A year
and a half later, the young man passed
away, but it left Jessica wanting to do
something to help others.
The two Biels formed a partnership
with Costco member Kent McBride. The
three created Make the Difference
Network to help link nonprofits with individuals and businesses looking to help.
According to Jon Biel, “There are two
things a donor wants. They want to know
where the money is going, and they want
to see the results of their giving.”
The site features fully vetted nonprofits and enables visitors to donate or sponsor an organization and see the progress
it is making. All donations go directly to
the nonprofit.
Make the Difference Network was
introduced by the Biel family at former
President Bill Clinton’s 2007 Clinton Global
Initiative.—Steve Fisher
64 The Costco Connection DECEMBER 2008
ONE MAN’S TRASH is another
man’s treasure. Few know that
better than the volunteers of
Run with the help of 95
volunteers, Duneland Resale What goes
Duneland Resale. Since 2001
the nonprofit in Chesterton,
Indiana, has been selling
used clothing, books, household items and even 15,000
donated golf balls to raise
money for the community and
other worthy causes.
( www.dunelandresale.com) oper -
ates out of four locations and has around...
raised more than $700,000 that it has has
donated on community, national and inter-
national levels.
TRENT ALBERT
DunelandResalehashelped numerous groups K imGoldak(rightfront)
and organizations, such as local food pantri es, a a nd her treasured
women”s shelter, and lupus and Alzheimer” s founda- D uneland volunteers.
tions, along with the victims of the 2004 Thailand
tsunami and Hurricane Katrina.
“If there is a need, we do our best to help,” says Kim Goldak, a Costco member
and Duneland Resale volunteer and board member. “If a person or a family has
problems paying their bills, Duneland Resale is called upon to help. We also provide
flu shots to our community. We are more or less an outreach organization funded
by our resale shop.
