Shining a light in the darkest of moments.
OUR MISSION
Whether facing the aftermath of a house fire or car accident, dealing with chronic illness or life-changing diagnosis, or coping with the loss of a beloved family member, spouse, or child, or anything in between, Fund a Life provides a financial lifeline to people facing overwhelming obstacles of all kinds.
We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded by Mark Howell in Brighton MI in 2017. Our mission is simple: to ignite hope by funding lives, the way Mark’s own life was funded after his devasting cancer diagnosis in 2012.
To put it simply, we issue financial grants to individuals and families when they need it most.
The grants vary in size, with the average grant amount around $5,000. To date, Fund a Life has awarded more than 160 grants, totaling over $1,000,000.
We know that although money can’t buy miracles, it can ignite hope in the most desperate and difficult of circumstances.
Thanks to the support of our supporters, donors, and Mission Partners, the grants awarded by Fund a Life shine light in the darkest moments, offering a sense of relief, support, and community during someone’s most challenging and vulnerable times.
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Lives Changed
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Grants Issued
From a terminal cancer diagnosis to igniting hope & funding lives
In 2012, Mark Howell was 30 years old. His beautiful wife of two years, Christina, had just given birth to their first child, a son named Gabriel. Life was good.
And then Mark’s doctor told him he had six weeks to live.
In the aftermath of his doctor’s terrifying prediction, Mark’s friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, and the Brighton, MI community came together to raise over $200,000 for Mark and his family to go outside the restrictions of their health insurance in search of a treatment - in search of a cure.
Although it would take much more than money to save his life, the money raised provided key resources and precious hope that took all of the extra stress out of the most stressful of situations.
“To simply say ‘thank you’ has never felt like enough. That’s why my ‘thank you’ now comes in the form of dedication, to use my journey to benefit others, and to work harder so that no life goes without hope when they need it.”
- Mark Howell, Founder
Our Mission Partners
Who are the Fund a Life grant recipients?
Our grant recipients are people just like you - individuals and families facing overwhelming obstacles of all kinds - emotional, physical, logistical, familial, and everything in between. Some of their stories might make you smile, and some might make you cry.
But we hope that every story will inspire you to ignite hope and make a difference in the lives of those around you.
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