Are you a family of a child with special or medical needs? Do you know someone who is? Then this is the must have resource for grants for medical equipment such as wheelchairs or adaptive bikes, grants to help with medical costs, wish organizations and other ways you can brighten up your child’s day.
I chose organizations that serve larger areas or are nationwide. Ask your local children’s hospital or your physician about any local organizations that may also be able to help you. Raising a child with medical needs is expensive and insurance does not cover all costs. Feel free to give your favorite non-profit a shout out in the comments. We appreciate their hard work to make life a bit easier for families like ours.
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Wish Organizations
These organization will grant a wish to a child with a life threatening or sometimes chronic health condition.
Make-A-Wish
Dream Factory
Sunshine Foundation
Kids Wish Network
Hope Kids
Jason’s Dream for Kids
The Marty Lyons Foundation
Angelwish
A Special Wish
Take a Breather Foundation, for children with cystic fibrosis
Clayton Dabney for kids with cancer, assists families in making memories during end stage cancer
Grant Angel Wishes and Travel, grants a travel wish to individuals ages 3-75 with less than 12 months to live
Dream Foundation, grants wishes to adults with life threatening illnesses
*each organization has their own criteria for referring a child and geographical area they serve
Medical Equipment/Medical Assistance
UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation, offers grants for kids 16 years old or younger for services health insurance does not cover
McLindon Family Foundation, provides adaptive bicycles for children with special needs.
Danielle’s Foundation, provides assistance for families of children with cerebral palsy and brain injuries
Alex’s Lemonade Stand, provides travel grants to medical institutions for families battling childhood cancer
The Arya Foundation, provides medical equipment such as ramps, special beds and walking aides.
MY GYM Challenged America, provides grants for medical equipment and therapy equipment for families with special needs
The Lindsay Foundation, provides medical care, treatment and rehab equipment grants
Stepping Stones for Stella, provides buggies for children with special needs to enjoy outdoors to its fullest
The Danny Did Foundation, provides seizure/epilepsy devices to children in need
First Hand Foundation, provides financial assistance for medical care, vehicle modification and travel
Chelsea Hutchison Foundation, provides seizure monitoring and seizure assistance dogs
June Brandy Foundation, assists families with children who have pediatric illness/disability
Alyssa V. Phillips Foundation, assists children with cerebral palsy to help with therapies or other medical treatments insurance doesn’t cover
Variety of United States, provides equipment and services for mobility, independence and social inclusion
The Prayer Child Foundation, provides assistance to children with disabilities to enhance quality of life
Wheel to Walk Foundation, assists with equipment not provided by insurance
Small Steps in Speech, grant funds for speech and language disorder therapies
Gwendolyn Strong Foundation, provides iPads for children with spinal muscular atrophy
Silent Stars, provides iPads for children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech
Go Shout Love, features a family battling a rare illness and raises funds for them
Angel Flight, free medical and compassion flights
Aubrey Rose Foundation, assists families with medical expenses
Believe in Tomorrow Children’s Foundation, provides medical and respite housing to critically ill children and their families
Bryan’s Dream Foundation, assist families of children with brain tumors
Eden’s Hope, assists families of children with neuroblastoma
Friend’s of Man, assists with medical and mobility equipment and prothesis
Snap4Kids, provides modest grants to families in need
Fred’s Footsteps, provides financial assistance to families during a child’s illness
Family Reach, financial assistance for families of children with cancer
Matthew Larson Foundation, assists families of children with brain tumors
Wheelchairs 4 Kids, provides assistive devices and medical equipment to families in need
Project Mend, refurbishes mobility devices and assists families with medical equipment needs
TJ Joy Memorial Fund, assists families in obtaining seizure monitoring devices
Gia Nicole Angel Foundation, assist with purchase of medical equipment
Building Blocks for Kids, provides grants for health related needs
Challenged Athletes Foundation, provides grants for paralympic sports related needs
Different Needz Foundation, provides grants for medical equipment and/or services.
Hands to Angels, helps families of children with rare genetic disorders
Hannah and Friends, provides quality of life grants for individuals with developmental disabilities in Indiana, the Michiana area, New York, Rhode Island, and Florida
Grotto Humanitarian Foundation, provides dental services for children with special needs
The HIKE Fund, provides hearing devices for children in need
Kya’s Krusade, grants for therapies
Maggie Welby Foundation, provides grants to families in need
Mark’s Money, grants for individuals with Down Syndrome residing in Tennessee or Indiana
Miracle Ear Foundation, provides free hearing aids to individuals in need
Molly Bear Foundation, grants for families of children with Trisomy 18
Ray Tye Medical Foundation, funds life saving medical care and surgeries for those without insurance
The M.O.R.G.A.N. Project, provides the tools for a therapeutic and fun experience to children with physical and developmental needs
iPads for Apraxia, awards iPads and protective cases to aid in communication
Be Perfect Foundation, offers financial assistance for individuals living with paralysis
Cancer Care, offers financial assistance to families with cancer diagnoses
The National Children’s Cancer Society, offers monetary assistance with travel, meals and lodging for families of children with cancer
Chariots of Hope, accepts donations of wheelchairs and refurbishes them for others for free
MIRA Foundation, provides guide dogs for blind children ages 11-17
My GOAL Inc, grants for families of children with autism for treatments not covered by insurance or other sources
Guide to Braille Resources, a list of some 40 individual Braille releated resources for parents, teachers and vision-impaired adults.
Free Gifts and Services
Santa’s Little Hackers, sends children with special needs an adaptive toy at Christmas time
Seedlings Braille Books, free braille books/articles for students in grades 1-12
Wishers and Dreamers, free hospital gowns for your child’s doll/bear
Gracie’s Gowns, free custom made hospital gowns for children with life-threatening illnesses
The Butterfly Fund, clothing, services and care for children with Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB)
Kyler Koat Project, provides warm capes for children and adults in wheelchairs
Ben’s Blankets, free weighted blankets for children with sensory needs
Special Kids Photography of America provides grants for family pictures
Grains of Love, provides love packages for individuals in need of comfort
Blessing Boxes, provide toys for children with chronic illnesses or injuries
Feel Better Friends, sends children with cancer and other illnesses a crochet doll stuffed with love and well wishes
Shadow Buddies, sends a doll buddy to your child for emotional support in time of need
Sweet Dreams for Kids, provides a free pair of pajamas for children who are in hospitals
Lara’s Gowns for Smiles, provides a colorful hospital gown for children who are in hospitals
Hugginz by Angel, provides blankets and pillows to comfort children dealing with serious illness, medical condition or tragedy
Project Fairy Dust & Magic Wands, provides a handmade tiaras for princesses in distress
Peach’s Neet Feet, creates custom decorated shoes for children with a qualifying medical condition
Tiny Superheroes, sends a cape to your little superhero
Bianca’s Kids, provides needed wishes for families
Knitting Rays of Hope, knits hats for cancer patients, babies in NICU and other special deliveries
Ween Dream, collects and delivers Halloween costumes for children with medical conditions and children in need
Butterflies for Courageous Kids, sends a butterfly of encouragement for children battling cancer and other medical conditions
Sharing the Weight, provides free weighted blankets to children who could benefit from one
Special Spaces, creates dream bedrooms for children with critical illnesses
Room to Dream, bedrooms designed for children in need
Graham’s Foundation, sends a care package to families with premature babies
Icing Smiles, works with bakers provide free birthday cake to a child or a sibling impacted by a serious illness
Cakes Against Cancer for Kids, provides a designer cake for children going through cancer treatments on their birthday or special day
Comforting Hugs Foundation, sends a care package and small monetary grant to families in hospital facing cancer or long-term illness
Songs of Love Foundation, create personalized uplifting songs,free of charge, for children and teens currently facing tough medical, physical or emotional challenges.
Free Places to Go
Dream Night: ask your local Zoo if they participate in this wonderful program reserved only for medical/special needs families
Surf Dreams Foundation: currently various cities on the east coast, helping children experience surfing for the first time
Give Kids the World: a popular wish organization destination, see database for participating organizations
Buckmaster’s Life Hunts provides a hunting experience for a child with critical illness or severe disability
Camp Sunshine a retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families
Catch-A-Dream, once in a lifetime hunting and fishing experiences for children with life-threatening illnesses
Hunt of a Lifetime, hunting and wishing dreams for children with life-threatening illnesses
Outdoor Dream Foundation, outdoor adventures for children with terminal or life-threatening illnesses
Ride A Wave, a special day at the beach for children with special needs
United Special Sportsmen Alliance, sends critically ill and terminally ill youth and disabled veterans on outdoor adventures
Epilepsy Foundation-Texas, free summer camps for children with epilepsy
Amputee Coalition, free summer camp for children with limb differences in Ohio
Connecticut Burns Foundation, free summer camp for children with life altering burn injuries
Paul Newman Camps: Double H Ranch, The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp and Camp Boggy Creek (and many more) are all free to campers
Camp Make-A-Dream, offers cost free programs to children, teens, young adults and women with cancer
Deliver the Dream, free family retreats in Florida. Each weekend is for a different medical condition.
Lighthouse Family Retreat, free family retreat to reconnect as a family after cancer treatments
Some tips when applying for grants:
- Read the criteria and requirements carefully. That way you are not wasting your time filling out applications and the non-profit can focus on the people they have set up their program for.
- Speak with your child’s physician or therapist to see if a particular equipment would be helpful or if there might be a better choice before applying.
- If you are chosen for a grant, follow up with a thank you letter and pictures. Many non-profits depend on these updates to share with their donors so that other children can be served.
- Don’t give up. If you are not chosen for a grant, check out local lending closets, ask around in local mom groups or set up a personal fundraiser. We all need a little help sometimes.
Jenni is a Mid-west mom parenting 5 kids of 3 nationalities. She is passionate about adoption, special needs and living a life that is filled with laughter. Please visit Joyful Journey Mom on Facebook and follow on Twitter. Thanks again Jenni for sharing this incredible list with our community.
