Family Resources
Explore organizations and resources that may help families navigate the financial, feeding, and travel challenges of living with a laryngeal cleft.
Financial
Nonprofit Organizations
-
Chive Charities works to make the world 10% happier by supporting veterans, first responders, rare medical causes, and families in need. Each week, the organization provides critical grants for recipients with life-altering or life-threatening needs and fills the gaps where insurance and other resources cannot.
-
The Feeding Matters Family Assistance Program provides financial assistance to families impacted by pediatric feeding disorders by helping cover medically related expenses, including feeding supplies, equipment, and other care needs.
-
The First Hand Foundation provides pediatric medical grants help cover essential expenses—including clinical care, medical equipment, and travel-related costs—so families can focus on their child’s health, not financial hurdles.
*First Hand Foundation has established a restricted fund in honor of the former Laryngeal Cleft Network to help support families affected by laryngeal cleft. Families should apply through First Hand Foundation's standard grant application process, and eligible laryngeal cleft requests will be considered for funding through this dedicated fund.
-
Oracle Health Foundation provides pediatric grants that cover clinical, equipment, and travel and lodging expenses related to children’s healthcare needs.
-
UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation provides medical grants that enhance the quality of life for children. These grants give kids the care they need by helping with medical expenses not covered, or not fully covered, by their family’s commercial health insurance.
-
Some states offer Medicaid waiver programs for children with complex medical needs, disabilities, or chronic health conditions. Unlike traditional Medicaid, certain waiver programs may be available regardless of family income.
Depending on the state and program, Medicaid waiver benefits may help cover medically necessary thickener and other feeding and swallowing-related needs, as well as other medical expenses, supplies, therapies, equipment, respite care, or services not typically covered under standard Medicaid benefits.
Eligibility requirements, covered services, and waitlists vary by state. Contact your state’s Medicaid agency or a hospital social worker to learn what waiver programs may be available in your area.
The National Disability Resource Project (NDRP) also provides free state-by-state guides to help navigate Medicaid waiver and HCBS programs.
Location-Specific Organizations
-
Some community organizations may provide financial assistance to families of children with medical needs.
Depending on your location, these may include nonprofit organizations, community foundations, civic groups, or other charitable programs.
Eligibility and available assistance vary, so consider searching for organizations in your community or those that support your child's diagnosis or medical needs.
-
Some hospitals offer financial assistance programs that may help families with the cost of thickener. Check with a hospital social worker or your specialist’s office for available options.
Feeding
-
The Dysphagia Outreach Project Food Bank provide tangible assistance to low income individuals with dysphagia across the lifespan by providing access to thickeners, pre-modified foods, therapy tools, oral care supplies, and adaptive equipment.
-
Oley Foundation works to enrich the lives of those living with home IV nutrition or tube feeding through advocacy, education, community and innovation. Oley’s Enteral Donation Program collects and distributes formula and tube feeding supplies.
Travel
Lodging
-
Many children's hospitals have a family resource center or social work department that can help families identify nearby lodging options. Some also offer hotel discounts, meal vouchers, parking assistance, and other local resources for families receiving care.
-
Provides a home away from home for families who travel for their child’s medical care.
Transportation
-
Connects volunteer pilots with people in need of life-changing flights for medical care, disaster relief, and humanitarian missions.
-
Provides access for people in need who are seeking free air transportation to specialized health care facilities or distant destinations due to family, community, or national crisis.
-
Provides commercial airline tickets for children traveling in the United States to specialized medical care with board-certified doctors at accredited medical facilities.
-
Helps patients reach care when transportation stands in the way. Whether by air, ground or rail - we connect people to the treatment they can’t afford to miss.
-
Provides free commercial air travel in the U.S. for children ages 0–17 who qualify based on financial need, connecting them to board-certified medical providers and accredited treatment facilities for life-changing medical care.
-
Provides free medical flights to people who need to access medical care that may be too far to get to by car.
Resource availability, eligibility requirements, and program details may vary. Please confirm information directly with the organization.