At a time when parents are at high risk of not taking care of themselves because their child has been newly diagnosed, a meal card both fills a basic financial need and encourages parents to take a break, get some nourishment, and make sure they have what they need as well.

It is not uncommon to have families urgently transported and admitted to Cook Children’s for a new diagnosis. Most of the time, the parent accompanying the child does not even have time to pack a change of clothes, let alone think about how they will pay for meals and lodging for an indefinite period of time. With donor support, we can offer these families a meal card, while our Case Management team works to get financial assistance options in place.

“My son’s hospital stay was unexpected. He was just a baby and I didn’t want to leave his side. I didn’t work for those two weeks, which meant I wasn’t getting paid. When I did stop to think about food, I worried about the expense. When they handed me those gifts cards, I was so overwhelmed that I cried. This is such a blessing to families.”

Donation options:

Fund it! - $25 each, $100 for a family

Or contribute any amount