The Story Behind The Event

In 2006, a group of individuals and business owners from Southeast Michigan got together to create an event that would serve the catastrophically injured and their families in our community.  The goal was to bring aliveness, joy and celebration to an often ignored segment of neighborhoods – people touched by catastrophic injury, whether spinal cord, brain injury, auto accidents, or other disabling events.

In turn, the team created the Carnival of Care, a FREE event to celebrate the recovery of the catastrophically injured and their caregivers, and for those who were in the recovering process.  The team wanted to present the Carnival of Care in such a way as to bring hope, acknowledgment, education and honor to their recovery process.

The first event held in March 2007 – brain injury awareness month – was attended by 150 people and supported by 25 providers and sponsors from our Southeast Michigan community.  Each year, the number of attendees, sponsors, and businesses has grown.  In 2012, there were more than 700 attendees and 50 businesses at the Carnival.  Why?  This event is unique and one of a kind!  There are carnival games, prizes, clowns, face painters, music, dancing, food, massages, palm readers and give-aways throughout the day!  Not only that…there is information about resources, nonprofit enterprises, and support services available to assist in the healing and recovery from catastrophic injury, all delivered in a fun, delightful atmosphere.  At the conclusion of the Carnival of Care, a check is given to the Michigan Brain Injury Association to continue their great work in our state.

And while this day of fun and celebration is helping to re-shape our idea of ‘community’, the overwhelming support of everyone involved extends far beyond this single day.   It brings to light the unsung heroes in our neighborhoods whose daily job it is to engage in their healing and beyond that to contribute to their world in a new and unique way.  We have created a platform to acknowledge their achievements.

Because our commitment to continue to provide this day with absolutely no charge to the attendees, the Foundation started having an annual Fundraiser just before Halloween.  This is a day for those providers who support the Carnival to dress up in costume and have a great entertaining evening.  See what we have in store this year by going to the Fundraiser site. Remember the Careforward Foundation is all about FUN! And boy do we deliver!

Board Members

Deborah Johnson, RN, CCM, CBIS, President
Dr. Ray Kamoo, Pinnacle Rehabilitation Services, Vice President
Amy Gross, President Entech Medical Staffing, Secretary
Kristin Green, Director of Operations of Careforward, Treasurer
Matt Flynn, Fifth Third Bank, Member at Large
Dale Stol, Owner of the Outlier Group, LLC, Member at Large

What People Are Saying about The Carnival of Care

We have received so much incredible feedback about this event! Please click here to read a few of the wonderful testimonials about the Carnival of Care.

In the Media

CW Detroit talks Carnival of Care with Deborah Johnson

Annual Report

Please email us at social@carnivalofcare.org if you would like to be sent a copy of our Annual Report.