Who is eligible for services?
We serve families where a parent has a serious illness and wants to make a plan for the future care of their children, who are 18 years or younger. We also serve families where a caregiver is caring for minor children whose parents died of a illness, as well as families where there is a caregiver over the age of 60.

Are there exceptions to these eligibility criteria?
We occasionally serve families who don't exactly fit this description when their circumstances indicate that they would clearly benefit from our services. Please contact us for more information at 1-800-219-4522.

Do your services cost money?
All services are free. They are also confidential and offered in the home when needed.

Is there an income cap above which you don't accept families for services?
No. We serve families of all income levels, although most of our clients live below the poverty line.

Does a client have to have Medicaid or some other type of insurance?
No. Services are provided free of charge regardless of insurance coverage.

Where does your funding come from?
Our annual budget is $3.7 million, which is generated primarily from government funding (78%), foundation grants (15%) and private donors (7%).

Where will my donation go?
We encourage prospective donors to learn more about our services and we welcome donations targeted to support specific programs, like our Buddy program and Summer Camp program. Please contact our development department for more information at 1-800-219-4522 x156.

How many families do you serve?
To date, we have served over 3,500 parents and children. In one year, we serve about 250 families.

Are your staff bilingual?
Yes. One third of our staff speaks Spanish. We also have staff who speak French, Creole, and Korean.

Are you part of the New York City Administration for Children's Services?
No.

When a parent dies, do the children usually end up with families they don't know?
No. We are successful in helping most families develop plans for children to live with relatives or close family friends they know well.

Do you only work with parents at the end stages of life?
No. We encourage all parents affected by serious illness to plan regardless of how ill they are. Waiting until the end of life to address these issues adds stress and uncertainty at a difficult time. We believe that it is never too early plan.

Do you serve parents with many types of illness?
Yes. We serve parents affected by many different kinds of illnesses and health conditions including cancer, AIDS, lupus, kidney failure and obesity.

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