Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Pledges Support to Staffords' Charitable Farewell to Detroiters
by Karly Hurley
| 2 min read
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is proud to join Matthew and Kelly Stafford’s display of commitment to Detroiters through the donation of $150,000 to SAY Play’s campaign to build a new state of the art education center at Lipke Park in Detroit. The 20,000-square-foot facility will include six classrooms, learning labs, vocational training space and a theater/auditorium, allowing SAY Detroit, founded by Mitch Albom in 2006, to expand its services and house a growing and diverse range of programming for kids, teens and adults. The Stafford’s kicked off the campaign with a pledge of $1 million. “People build lasting legacies in Detroit with hard work and kind hearts,” said Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan CEO Daniel J. Loepp, a native Detroiter. “Matthew and Kelly Stafford are creating a lasting legacy with SAY Play, one that will continue to improve young lives in the community.” Blue Cross’ contribution to the campaign reflects our partnership with Matthew Stafford over the past 11 years to invest in healthy children and communities in the city of Detroit and across the state. The new SAY Play center, “The Kelly and Matthew Stafford and Friends Education Center,” will enable SAY Detroit to greatly increase its student population through new academic, computer and arts programs in addition to servicing adults with GED classes, training initiatives and community events. The mission of SAY Play is to assist students from low-income families overcome literacy inequities and educational challenges while improving themselves and their communities. SAY Play is a project of SAY Detroit which Albom established to improve the lives of Detroit’s neediest citizens through shelter, food, medical care, volunteer efforts and education. The nonprofit is accepting all donations, both corporate and individual, at saydetroit.org.
