Project NICU Launches Family Assistance Fund at Local Hospitals to Support NICU Families
In partnership with The MetroHealth Foundation and University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, this fund will support families experiencing financial hardships while their babies are in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
Cleveland - When a baby is born premature or with medical complications and is admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, a period of separation between the infant and parents begins. Not only can this take an emotional toll on parents, but it can also create financial stress.
Project NICU, a Northeast-Ohio based nonprofit, supports families who have children in the NICU and the medical professionals that care for them. The organization recently launched a new fund aimed to help families experiencing financial hardships while in the NICU.
The Project NICU Family Assistance Fund has been established at Cleveland’s MetroHealth Hospital and University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital.
“On top of families facing isolation and the wave of emotions that come along with the NICU stay, many experience financial stress while their children are in the NICU. Parents have to worry about covering costs from loss of work, transportation needs, childcare, and more. We wanted to help create a solution,” said Pam Frasco, Founder of Project NICU.
The newly established fund, which is a part of a commitment Project NICU has to partner hospitals, will give the NICU teams the ability to support families in the areas of fuel, food, lodging, and emergency bill pay assistance.
“We at Metro are proud to continue to partner with Project NICU in their efforts to provide assistance to NICU families, babies and caregivers. We are grateful for the opportunity to provide added assistance to our families who are faced with all the challenges of a NICU journey,” said a representative of The MetroHealth NICU Nursing Team.
In addition to the Family Assistance Fund, these partner hospitals will continue to receive support through NICU Care Packages, holiday treats, special events and more to help families feel connected during their stay.
“Project NICU is a trusted partner, supporting patients and families at UH Rainbow Babies and Children’s since their inception,” said Traci Craver, Clinical Nurse Manager, Department of Neonatology, UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital. “We are extremely honored to be a part of this inaugural fund to provide much needed resources for our families. Project NICU is unique in the fact they not only support the families but the caregivers as well. I have spent my entire 35-year career in the Neonatal world, I know this tremendous gift will help us support the many challenges a NICU family faces.”
The fund has been supported through local and national donors and Project NICU has a goal to grow it so that any hospital that would like to participate can have access to support their families.
“We want to thank our incredible donors who have continued to help us move our mission forward over the last few years. We also want to thank The Kaulig Foundation and WaterWipes USA who are our founding partners of The Family Assistance Fund. If there is one thing that is for sure, it truly takes a village,” Frasco adds.
To learn more about The Family Assistance Fund, visit www.projectnicu.com/hospitalfund
Founded in 1837, MetroHealth is leading the way to a healthier you and a healthier community through service, teaching, discovery, and teamwork. Cuyahoga County’s public, safety-net hospital system, MetroHealth meets people where they are, providing care through five hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers. Each day, our nearly 9,000 employees focus on providing our community with equitable healthcare — through patient-focused research, access to care, and support services — that seeks to eradicate health disparities rooted in systematic barriers. For more information, visit metrohealth.org.
