A sound legacy: 35 years of the Miracle-Ear Foundation

A child hearing a teacher’s voice clearly for the first time. A grandparent catching every word of their grandchild’s story. A veteran reconnecting with the everyday sounds that make life feel whole again. For more than 35 years, the Miracle-Ear Foundation has been in the business of those moments—opening doors to connection, confidence, and community through better hearing.

As we move into 2026 and beyond, we take a look back at over 3 decades of Miracle-Ear Foundation history, from its modest upbringing to the incredible achievements of today.

Since its founding in 1990, our signature program, Gift of Sound^®, has helped enhance the lives of more than 31,000 people by providing hearing aids and, importantly, unlimited care to individuals and families who otherwise could not afford them¹. That aftercare matters: hearing needs can change, devices may need adjustments, and users need support as they adapt to new environments. The Foundation’s approach reflects a deeper truth about hearing health, that the best outcomes don’t come from hardware alone.

This is our story: a journey built on generosity, local care, and a belief that hearing health should never be out of reach.

1990: A mission takes shape

When the Miracle-Ear Foundation launched in 1990, we had a simple, urgent mission: bridging the gap that persists across the U.S.; the high cost of hearing care and services²—starting with children. In those earliest days (then known as the Miracle-Ear Children’s Foundation), the organization helped its first 11 children receive hearing aids, laying the groundwork for a model built on local, community-based support and long-term care that would grow nationwide over the decades that followed.

Throughout the 90s that work would continue as we expanded into new communities; each year marking milestones from our first (11 individuals approved for assistance), to today where we fit an average of 10 recipients every day. In 1993 we produced our first TV PSA and gifted hearing aids to more than 300 children. In ’96 we joined the information age and started having a presence online. By the 2000’s, the Foundation had a presence across the country.

Along the way, we’ve met unforgettable individuals that touched our lives and served as a constant reminder that the mission is always about them. There was Edward in Idaho, who went on to earn four “superior” scores at a music competition shortly after receiving hearing aids. We won’t forget Chad in Iowa whose grades jumped from C’s to A’s after getting the hearing help he needed – Leia in California, who had fewer headaches and felt included on the softball field after receiving the Gift of Sound^® - and the thousands of stories that came before and after them.

In 2013, we broadened our mission beyond children and expanded eligibility to include adults with hearing loss. As part of that shift, the “Miracle-Ear Children’s Foundation” rebranded as the “Miracle-Ear Foundation” to reflect our new focus on supporting both underprivileged children and adults, and the first adult recipients began receiving hearing aids through the program later that year.

Today, the scale of that mission is striking. On average, 10 or more individuals receive the Gift of Sound every day³—each with their own “most excited to hear” moments waiting on the other side.

That focus remains at the heart of the program to this day. It’s a model that recognizes both the financial realities many people face and the life-changing impact of better hearing.

From milestones to movements: Miracle Missions are born

As the Foundation matured, we expanded beyond traditional applications into larger community initiatives designed to reach people who may be underserved or face barriers to accessing care.

One of the most visible examples of this work are our Miracle Missions—events intended to deliver the Gift of Sound to communities where hearing health care access is limited. These events underscore a defining trait of the Miracle-Ear Foundation: when there’s unmet need, the response is action.

In 2020—marking our 30th anniversary—the Miracle-Ear Foundation launched the first of these Miracle Missions in historic Selma and Tuskegee, Alabama. That effort reflected a growing emphasis on meeting people where they are and building impact with local partners.

Over time, the Foundation has made every effort to step forward in response to moments of great need:

• In the wake of hurricanes in Texas and Florida, the Foundation assisted customers impacted by these disasters by waiving the replacement cost of any hearing aids damaged by these severe storms.
  
  
• In 2022, the Foundation provided hearing tests, devices, and related support to Ukrainian refugees relocating to the U.S. due to the ongoing conflict with Russia.
  
  
• In 2024, preceding the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, the Foundation partnered to provide nearly 100 Holocaust survivors with hearing aids—an effort rooted in respect, dignity, and the belief that everyone deserves to be heard and connected. 

In a single day, these missions can fit a hundred or more people with hearing aids. These efforts are not side projects but expressions of the same core promise that has existed since our founding: help people reconnect to life through hearing.

Fueling the mission: Donors, events, and everyday generosity

Nonprofit work is sustained not only by mission, but by people. And for 35 years, the Miracle-Ear Foundation’s impact has been powered by a community of donors and supporters who believe in this cause.

One of the most vivid examples of this is Julie McKelvey’s “Summit for Sound” - a fundraising series that turned major mountain expeditions into direct support for the Foundation. The task: climb the tallest peak on each continent (including Everest), with donors pledging their support along the way. In 2023 she completed the series by ascending Mount Kosciuszko in Australia, the 7th and final peak - raising over $250,000 in total. 

Other fundraising events like the Miracle-Ear Foundation Golf Invitational highlight the collective effort behind every moment. The 2025 Frasier Miracle-Ear Foundation Golf Invitational raised $175,000—a record amount in the event’s 17-year history, bringing the total raised by this event to over a million dollars.

At the same time, the Foundation emphasizes the direct, practical impact of giving: donations help fund full hearing solutions and ensure recipients can access ongoing care and adjustments. This is what makes the Gift of Sound model sustainable: a cycle of generosity that turns contributions into care, and care into transformation.

35 years in: What the Miracle-Ear Foundation has built

At 35 years, the Miracle-Ear Foundation stands as proof that long-term impact is created one person at a time and strengthened when communities commit to showing up, year after year.

The big picture:

• Founded in 1990 with a mission to enhance lives through free hearing aids and expand access to hearing care.
  
  
• Over 60,000 hearing aids provided through the Gift of Sound program.
  
  
• Over 31,000 lives enhanced—children, adults, families, and individuals across the U.S.
  
  
• Unlimited care included, supporting lasting outcomes beyond the first fitting.
  
  
• Innovative delivery models like Miracle Missions that can serve a hundred or more people in concentrated events in underserved communities.

Those numbers represent something bigger than hearing devices. They represent stronger family ties, improved safety and participation in school and work, and the dignity of being able to engage fully in the world. And the need is significant: approximately 15% of U.S. adults (37.5 million) report some trouble hearing⁴, and hearing loss affects children as well.

Looking ahead: Our next chapter

Anniversaries aren’t only for reflection—they’re for recommitment.

Hearing loss remains widespread, and the cost of care can still be a barrier for millions. In that reality, the Miracle-Ear Foundation’s work is as urgent as ever: expanding access, delivering care with dignity, and ensuring that people who have done everything “right” but still can’t afford help aren’t left behind.

After 35 years, our purpose is clearer than ever: we work to help people reconnect to family, to opportunity, and to the sounds that make life feel whole.

And for everyone who has supported the mission; donors, hearing care professionals, community partners, and advocates—this legacy is yours, too.

References

1. Miracle Ear Foundation. (2025). 35th Anniversary Page. https://www.miracle-earfoundation.org/35th-anniversary
2. National Institute of Health. (2024). Benefit Cost Analyses of Hearing Aids, Over-the-Counter Devices and Hearing Care Services. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39392928/
3. Miracle Ear Foundation. (2025). Stories. https://www.miracle-earfoundation.org/stories
4. Hearing Loss Association of America. (2025). Hearing Loss by the Numbers. https://www.hearingloss.org/understanding-hearing-loss/hearing-loss-101/hearing-loss-by-the-numbers/