Families experiencing high-risk pregnancies, antepartum admissions, NICU stays, or extended hospitalizations in the Rochester area may qualify for support through local hospitals, nonprofits, and community organizations.
One of the biggest supports for families traveling to Rochester for specialized maternal or NICU care is Ronald McDonald House.
They provide:
Temporary lodging near the hospital
Meals and snacks
Laundry facilities
Transportation assistance
Emotional support and community connections
Family rooms inside local hospitals
Their Rochester programs support families receiving care through Golisano Children's Hospital and the surrounding URMC system. Referrals are typically completed through hospital social work or care teams.
At Strong Memorial Hospital and URMC, social workers can often assist with:
Parking passes or vouchers
Meal vouchers
Medicaid applications
Insurance navigation
Disability paperwork
FMLA guidance
Lodging referrals
Transportation support
Home care coordination
Mental health referrals
NICU and antepartum family support programs
Families should ask their nurse or provider for a social work consult early during admission.
Golisano Children's Hospital offers NICU family mentoring and peer support programs designed to connect current NICU families with trained caregivers who have experienced a NICU journey themselves. Programs include:
NICU graduate parent mentors
Virtual Buddy Programs through text, phone, Zoom, or email
In-person bedside mentoring
Family support gatherings and meal nights
“Donuts with Dad” caregiver support events
Memory-making and keepsake activities such as scrapbooking, ornaments, and canvas projects
Parent-to-parent emotional support and shared lived experience
These programs can be especially meaningful for families navigating long NICU admissions, uncertainty, medical complexity, or the transition into life after discharge.
Additional Rochester-area organizations that may help with practical needs include:
Catholic Charities Family and Community Services
Can assist with crisis services, family support, counseling referrals, financial assistance navigation, and community resource coordination.
Rochester Works
Helpful for employment support, career counseling, and workforce assistance if families are navigating job loss or extended leave.
Adaptt Rochester provides family support programs focused on stability, empowerment, and equitable access to resources for women, children, and youth in the Greater Rochester area. Their services include household essentials, educational workshops, food and clothing support, youth enrichment programs, and connections to housing and mental health resources.
Many families do not realize they can ask for:
Gas cards
Meal vouchers
Parking assistance
Lodging referrals
Medicaid transportation
Childcare resources for siblings
Emergency financial assistance
Mental health referrals
Disability/FMLA paperwork help
Home nursing coordination
Breastfeeding and pumping support
Parent peer mentorship