Comfort & Support for NICU Families

Summary

NICU Family Support provides educational materials and support to 5000+ families whose babies are struggling in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)

How You Can Help

	$10 - Will provide materials and support to a NICU family
	$50 - Will provide materials and support to 5 NICU families
	$100 - Will provide materials and support to 10 NICU families
	$49,735 - Will fully fund this project
	$ Other amount

What

Project Needs and Beneficiaries

Many babies are born too soon or have life-threatening complications. Few parents are prepared for these unforeseen circumstances, leaving many questions unanswered. March of Dimes NICU Family Support programs, located in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, provides comfort and information with sensitive and engaging educational materials that introduce parents to the staff, equipment, procedures and conditions that they may encounter in the NICU setting.

Activities

Parent Care Kits, Bedside Reading program sponsored by Scholastic, Sibling Lending library, Transition to Home, Transport, Newborn Loss, Sibling Education Activities and Customized programs developed to service the speciflic needs of each NICU.

Funding Information

Total Funding Received to Date: $265
Remaining Goal to be Funded: $49,735
Total Funding Goal: $50,000

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).

Resources

Why

Potential Long Term Impact

The overall NICU Family Support project will provide support and answers to almost 30,000 families this year better enabling them to deal with their baby's stay in the NICU and transition their baby to home.

Project Message

"I thank the March of Dimes from the bottom of my heart for NICU Family Support. It has helped parents of our babies to BE parents while the babies are still in the unit."
- Elayne McNamara, NICU Occupational Therapist, Shands Hospital