WINGS of MERCY EAST MICHIGAN, Inc.
In June 1991 a group of pilots met in Holland, Michigan to organize a service named Wings of Mercy, Inc. to offer flights at no cost to financially needy persons from that area who required specialized medical treatment at distant medical centers. Immediately it became clear that the need was far greater than expected. Based upon their experience upward of 80% of their clients would NOT BE ABLE TO GO FOR SPECIALIZED TREATMENT IF THIS KIND OF SERVICE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. Newspaper, radio and television coverage helped to expand this service. Soon other aircraft owners volunteered their aircraft at locations throughout Western Michigan.
In early 1996, a group of pilots in the Midland-Saginaw-Bay City Michigan area contacted this group for assistance in organizing a group to provide similar services for the residents of Eastern Michigan. This effort has grown into what today is WINGS OF MERCY EASTERN MICHIGAN.
All services are performed by volunteers; aircraft owners/operators are reimbursed for fuel only (about 1/3 of the actual cost of operating an aircraft), and many refuse even that. Wings of Mercy is funded entirely by charitable contributions; since there are no paid staff, all donations fund operations. Overhead of Wings of Mercy is confined to fuel reimbursements and office expenses (phone/fax, postage, paper, etc.)
Wings of Mercy does not compete with commercial airlines, which our patient/clients cannot afford, or with air ambulance services, which are reserved for more critically ill persons.
Currently, there are four Wings of Mercy Chapters, Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Minnesota and Illiana. Wings of Mercy, East Michigan serves a radius of approximately 500 miles.