Foundation Overview
BEYOND SYMPATHY— Tangible support for basic needs including funeral and memorial expenses when a family loses a child.
The Michael C. McHugh Memorial Foundation (known as the MCM Fund) was created to honor the memory of Michael Caleb McHugh who passed away in the summer of 2017. Michael was a typical teen, loud, messy and argumentative, but he also had an exceptional sense of empathy and passion for fairness. Even in Michael’s last days he saw himself as lucky and he was worried about those families around him who he believed had less and struggled more.
The MCM fund has been created to keep this spirit alive. It will provide low-income families with everyday needs — from basic living to school supplies (above photograph shows contents of backpacks handed out to the homeless this winter).
The Fund will also support families who have lost a child to enable them to afford funeral, memorial and non-medical end of life expenses. When families lose a child they should not have to make decisions about burial and cremation based solely on income. This decision is an incredibly difficult one and should be made based on the families’ traditions and beliefs. The MCM Fund hopes to help families with children in hospice, or immediately after they have lost a child, to enable and financially support their non-medical end-of-life decisions.
The fund was seeded with Michael’s own money which has grown through the love and support of his community.
FOUNDED:
The Foundation, known as the MCM Fund, was established in January 2018 and is a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
MISSION:
BEYOND SYMPATHY— Tangible support for basic needs including funeral and memorial expenses when a family loses a child.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Kari McHugh, President
Calece Johnson, Treasurer & and Event Co-Chair
Venetia Corson, Secretary
Suzanne McDevitt
Krista Demas
Katie Manning
Brooke McHugh Michelle Serpa Martha Kennedy
Fundraising Chairs: Katie Manning & Michelle Serpa
Event Committee: JoAnn Cassidy, Piel Hollingsworth-Hayes, Michelle Healy, Peg Cammarata, Julie Shields, Marie Mignosa, Denise Queally, Rebecca Allen, Anne Fox
THE LOGO:
The GOAT featured in the logo stands for “Greatest of All Time” and references what Mike’s family called him in the last year of life (“GOAT boy”). In the logo, the GOAT is standing in a protective stance over an “M” that transitions from the Milton red to Thayer orange. The stars represent the part of Michael that transcends his life creating his legacy that is the MCM Fund.
