What is the Humanitarian Ask Program?
By: Jon Zieman
Introduction
The Humanitarian Ask program falls into a special category where SCI waives the normal 30% allocation from the Annual Convention funding raising. 2022 was the second year of our program and the first to substantially benefit from it. Here are several SCI program areas that fall into this category.
Humanitarian Services develops and administers programs and projects worldwide that involve hunters or hunting in providing aid to people in need. Examples include Sportsmen Against Hunger campaigns, filling and distribution of Blue Bags, Sensory Safaris (including events, permanent displays, and mobile units), and any hunting related activities to raise funds for cancer research.
Pathfinder Activities are chapters working within their communities to engage disabled or terminally ill youth, adults, veterans, or wounded military personnel in SCI sponsored hunting, shooting sports and other conservation related outdoor events/projects. Funds from these grants may be used for transportation, hunting, shooting and other outdoor gear, ammunition, food and lodging or other expenses directly related to providing outdoor events/projects.
Mid-Michigan Chapter Humanitarian Programs
Here are some programs the Chapter implements as part of their humanitarian efforts and have been described in Front Sight articles.
1. Mid-Michigan Chapter Sportsmen Against Hunger program provided about 17,500 pounds of food and $4,250 in cash for incidentals to local food banks over the last nine years. Four organizations which include six food banks have been supported in recent years.
2. Blue Bags is a program where hunters bring needed educational, health, and sports equipment to the locations where they are hunting. The Chapter sponsors many bags each year with an obvious reduction during the Covid travel restriction period. Local residents responded very favorably to the items delivered.
3. Various hunt opportunities are supported for Veterans and Disabled Youths. The Chapter coordinates with multiple organizations and outfitters to maximize the experience. Most participants experience improved mental health from participation. Many make statements to the effect “Now I know I can get out and do this!”.
4. The Chapter is an ongoing sponsor of the Walleyes for Warriors annual veterans fishingevent. Veterans from World War II through the present have a good experience and are recognized.
Program participants are encouraged and sponsored to Chapter events to thank them and share their success with members. Veterans are acknowledged with a free Cooler Raffle at the Annual Convention. Chapter Members donate their time, money, and travel to attend and assist with events.
The activities are publicized to generate participation, support, and good will. The 2022 Convention Humanitarian Ask presentation demonstrated that strong communication encourages support and donation.
Chapter Plan for 2022 Humanitarian Ask
The Ask in 2022 was to support veterans’ activities with an emphasis on disabled veterans.
About 50 mostly Michigan veterans are being sponsored this year. Two disabled veterans are supported for a whitetail hunt through the Heal 2 Heal Organization(https://www.hunt2heal.com/) and three veterans supported for local whitetail hunts. Partial support for two antelope disabled veteran hunters through the Hunting with Heroes, Inc (https://huntingwithheroes.org/) has been provided. About 40 veterans are supported for pheasant hunts between the Crooked Foot Annual Veterans Hunt(https://www.crookedfoothuntclub.com/event-directory/6th-annual-veterans-hunt/) and the Veterans Pheasant Hunt at Tails-A-Waggin Acres (https://veteranshunt.org/). We are ongoing Walleyes for Warriors (http://www.walleyesforwarriors.org/) sponsors.
Future Humanitarian Ask:
The Chapter Humanitarian Ask will have an annual focus on a specific area. These will include existing efforts with disabled youths, Blue Bags, and Sportsmen Against Hunger and add new areas such as first responders and cancer research.
Please note that future contribution to this program should qualify as tax deductible charitable donations with acknowledgement from SCIF.
The Board of Directors thanks the donors at the 2022 Annual Convention! We look forward to your continued support and will continue these efforts in the ensuing years!