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Little Giraffe Foundation Announces 2025 NICU Support Grant Recipients

The Little Giraffe Foundation, a dedicated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on neonatal research and family support, proudly announced its recipients for the 2025 NICU Support Grants. This year, a substantial total of $25,900 has been allocated to 26 medical institutions and nonprofit organizations aimed at providing critical support to NICU patients and their families.

Since its inception in 2011, the Little Giraffe Foundation has been a beacon of hope for families facing the emotional and financial challenges that come with having a premature baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The foundation’s impactful journey has included delivering hospital gift bags to over 34,000 families, awarding more than 190 NICU support grants, and providing upwards of $350,000 in funding for medical research. Every contribution received is directly channeled toward assisting NICU families by supplying essential items, transportation aid, comfort products, and programs that enhance familial bonding, development, and emotional health.

Amanda Santoro, co-founder and president of the Little Giraffe Foundation, expressed gratitude for the support received from various stakeholders. “We are continually moved by the generosity of our supporters,” she stated. “Because of them, we are able to expand our support to 26 NICUs and nonprofit partners this year. These programs provide real comfort during moments of deep uncertainty, and our goal is always to reach as many families as possible.”

2025 NICU Support Grant Recipients

The following organizations have been awarded grants, and the specific programs they will be supporting include:

1. David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA — $1,000 towards the NICU Transportation Assistance Program for families traveling to and from the NICU.
2. There With Care, Boulder, CO — $1,000 to acquire car seats for families transitioning out of the NICU.
3. Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Chicago, IL — $1,000 will be used to assemble maternal sunshine packets containing comfort items for caregivers.
4. Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center, Oakland, CA — $1,000 supporting a gas card program aimed at offsetting travel expenses for families.
5. UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital, Los Angeles, CA — $1,000 to establish a family library in the NICU for enhancing language development and bonding activities at the bedside.
6. Kravis Children’s Hospital at Mount Sinai, New York, NY — $1,000 allocated for purchasing multilingual books for NICU families.
7. Kootenai Health, Coeur d'Alene, ID — $1,000 dedicated to acquiring specialized swaddle sacks for the comfort of medically fragile infants.
8. Carter G. Cares, Parkville, MD — $1,000 for providing gas cards to families traveling long distances to visit their babies.
9. Capital Health Medical Center, Hopewell, NJ — $900 towards buying DandeLION Medical positioning tools for aiding premature infants' development.
10. Franciscan Health Olympia Fields, Olympia Fields, IL — $1,000 to provide gas and food cards for families with long-distance travels.
11. Houston Methodist West Hospital, Houston, TX — $1,000 to help fund the “Tiny Steps NICU Family Support Program”, which includes transportation stipends and meal vouchers.
12. The Tiny Miracles Foundation, Darien, CT — $1,000 for providing holiday meals to NICU families.
13. Sanford Medical Center, Fargo, ND — $1,000 to support the “Tiny Tales” NICU reading program by providing board books.
14. St. Luke's University Health Network, Bethlehem, PA — $1,000 will be distributed for gas and food gift cards for families.
15. Franciscan Health Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN — $1,000 aimed at purchasing gas cards for facilitating families’ visits.
16. Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ — $1,000 for acquiring medical-grade Boppy pillows for NICU comfort.
17. Penn Medicine Chester County, West Chester, PA — $1,000 for programmable speakers to allow parents to record comforting audio messages.
18. Jefferson Abington Hospital, Philadelphia, PA — $1,000 for providing breast pumps and essential supplies for NICU families.
19. Madison Hospital, Madison, AL — $1,000 designated for supplying infant CPR kits and training for families.
20. Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, Danville, PA — $1,000 for gas gift cards for NICU families.
21. Delta Health Alliance, Stoneville, MS — $1,000 for NICU Care Bundles tailored to family needs.
22. University of Washington Medical Center – Northwest Campus, Seattle, WA — $1,000 for a hospital-grade rocking chair to aid in soothing methods for newborns.
23. Capital Health Medical Center, Hopewell, NJ — $1,000 allocated to support photo and craft resources for NICU families.
24. Gabriela Grace Foundation, Atlanta, GA — $1,000 for “Little Fighters” gift baskets to support families.
25. Prentice Women's Hospital, Chicago, IL — $1,000 for memory-making kits for families.
26. Silver Cross Hospital, New Lenox, IL — $1,000 to introduce a “Milestone Beads Program” for families.

“This has been a record year for grant requests, and selecting the recipients is always a challenging process,” noted Mike Santoro, co-founder of the Little Giraffe Foundation. “Every application reflects programs that support families during some of their toughest days. We are thankful to our supporters for their enabled efforts in making significant differences where it’s most needed.”

To discover more about the Little Giraffe Foundation and its contributions to NICU families and neonatal medical research, please visit Little Giraffe Foundation's official website and keep up with the latest news through their Facebook page.

About the Little Giraffe Foundation

The Little Giraffe Foundation is a nationally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Chicago, focused on providing assistance to parents and patients of NICUs. Since 2011, it has successfully delivered gift bags to over 34,000 families, awarded grants to numerous hospitals, and invested over $350,000 in neonatal medical research initiatives.