Upcoming Events
Highlights
Micaela Brunson Memorial Blood Drive
The annual Micaela Brunson Memorial Blood Drive serves as a platform to provide mental health resources and information on blood, hair, and organ donation—all causes that were important to Micaela.
Senior Survivor
Senior Survivor is an annual weeklong competition at Muscatine High School where teams of two seniors compete to raise money for charities of their choice, inspired by the TV show Survivor. M;caela’s Hope has been the charity of choice for many teams over the past few years, with students raising over $27,000 for M;caela’s Hope and the Micaela L. Brunson Memorial Scholarship, also held at the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine.
iLLUMINATE Walk Through
Team Micaela's Hope gathers each year during the winter to walk around Weed Park and enjoy the iLLUMINATE holiday light show by Crossroads.
Team Micaela's Hope Thursday Walks
Team Micaela's Hope is a group of friends that gather to encourage mental health and physical well-being amongst the people they care about, while sharing the message of M;caela's Hope. Join them on their weekly walks!
The Gray Matters Collective
The Gray Matters Collective is a mental health awareness and suicide prevention movement. With hope, compassion, and community, they aim to empower all people to take care of themselves and those around them. Alma and Brian have worked to establish a chapter at Louisa-Muscatine High School, and are working on establishing another at Muscatine High School.
MyAscension Film
A feature-length documentary that chronicles then-16-year-old Emma Benoit in the aftermath of her suicide attempt that left her paralyzed. This film is an inspiring look at Emma’s story, and includes firsthand experiences of families, friends, school officials, and suicide prevention experts. M;caela’s Hope is able to host viewings of the film, MyAscension. If you are interested, please reach out to info@givinggreater.org to inquire about scheduling a time for a viewing.
Micaela Miles
An annual walk on the anniversary of Micaela's passing to celebrate Micaela's life and raise awareness for mental health and suicide prevention.
Micaela L. Brunson Memorial Scholarship
The following students have received Micaela's memorial scholarship since 2017:
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Katherine Becker, Maria Hight, Cameron Christianson, Jessica Lopez, Kendi Jones, Kileigh Reed, Rebecca Hoag, Carissa Johnson, Destiny Williams, Elizabeth Richardson, Ellie Howard, Brian Prussman, McKennah Killian, Elisha Gaye, Anthony Sanchez, Ana Poffenbaugh, Douglas Custis, Kiley Randoll, Taylor Lewandowski, Natalie Murphy, Evan Maynard, Sydni Quiroz, Mahayla Martin, Alexis Edkin, Madeline Hillman, Ezequiel Alvarado Jr, Clarissa McNally, Israel Aranda
Muscatine Police Department - Mental Health Awareness Patches
During Mental Health Awareness Month in 2025, Micaela's Hope partnered with the Muscatine Police Department by providing mental health awareness patches for officers' uniforms, promoting support and understanding within the community.
Kora Care Boxes
Micaela's Hope creates comfort boxes filled with sensory items to support those who have recently lost a loved one to suicide.
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We include sensory items because they can help people feel a little more grounded during really tough times. Grief can be overwhelming, and sometimes small things—like a calming scent or something soft to hold—can bring a bit of comfort and peace when it's needed most.