Why Parking Matters
NICU parking fees can cost more than $1,000 a month. That’s why Jackson Chance Foundation partners with hospitals to provide complimentary parking passes to every family with a baby in the NICU. We ensure that the financial burden of parking does not stand in the way of any parent being with their child.
The Financial Impact
Visiting a baby in the NICU every day is just as important to their recovery as the medical care they receive. But many families are unable to afford the transportation costs to make this a possibility, meaning many babies are left alone.
The average length of stay for a baby in the NICU is 28 days, but many must remain there for months at a time. Meaning babies are left alone because their parents simply cannot afford to see them. We get parents to their babies and believe this battle shouldn’t be fought alone, or be plagued by additional burdens.
Top level NICUs are often located in urban areas with expensive garage parking fees. For a family to be there all day every day it could cost upwards of $75/day and more than $1,000/month.
If these fees seem burdensome to the average family, consider their impact on NICU families who have hospital bills piling up. Lurie Children’s hospital is a level IV NICU, which means they take care of the sickest patients who have extended stays and are fighting for their life. 52% of these families are on Medicaid. Families with babies in the NICU struggle with many burdens – parking expenses shouldn’t be one of them.
One Day
Parking Pass
sponsor a one day NICU parking pass
$10
One Day Parking Pass:
24/7 Unlimited In/Out Privileges
24 Hours of Worry Free Relief
Eliminate The High Cost of Parking for 24 Hours
One Year
Parking Pass
sponsor a one year NICU parking pass
$3,600
For One Year:
24/7 Unlimited In/Out Privileges
Financial Relief for a Family
Peace of Mind for a Family
Eliminate The High Cost of Parking for One Year
Most families are in the NICU for months – not days!
One Month
Parking Pass
sponsor a one month NICU parking pass
$300
For One Month:
24/7 Unlimited In/Out Privileges
Financial Relief for a Family
Peace of Mind for a Family
Eliminate The High Cost of Parking for One Month
The Medical Benefit
Each year, we provide over 97,500 days of parking to more than 3,000 families—equating to over 2.3 million hours of precious time for parents to be with their babies.
Studies show that human contact is just as powerful and important to the recovery of babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) as the medical care they receive.
“More frequent hospital visits will facilitate parental-infant bonding, encourage timely communication with the medical team, and reduce parental anxiety.” – Dr. James W. Collins, Lurie Children’s Hospital Chicago
NICU nurses and doctors are a critical part of NICU care, but they can’t be with each baby 24/7. Regular human touch is vital to a baby’s development and is proven to:
Have significant impact on infant brain development
Provide essential support for physical and psychological development
Improve heart rate, respiration, and oxygen saturation in preterm infants
This is why daily kangaroo care, or skin-to-skin contact, is so important, especially for premature babies who have not fully developed. Babies who are born at 27 weeks and are too little to hold can benefit from hearing your voice and holding a finger.
Providing complimentary parking for families with babies in the NICU allows children to be touched and held so they can heal faster, grow stronger, and have a better chance at life. It gives families time to be together, to comfort and love each other, as every family should when every minute matters.
The Reward
In addition to the medical benefit and financial impact that families receive, our program gives families freedom – to stop by the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) on their lunch break, to come before work to say, “good morning,” and to make it back for a kiss good night. We get parents to their babies, allowing them to be there 24/7, without having to think about the price tag.
After a baby is born, life continues outside of the NICU and our program helps families juggle every day responsibilities. Our parking passes allow families to come and go from the hospital as they need to. We pay for parking so families can…
…visit their beautiful baby girl on their lunch break and after work.
…walk the dog and come back in time to give their baby a bath.
…take their 4 year-old to the park and be at the hospital for rounds.
Every parent should have the opportunity to be there for their baby’s firsts and we make that possible. Jackson Chance Foundation enables parents to enjoy everyday moments that are reminiscent of home – things as simple as bathing, diapering, feeding, and seeing that first beautiful smile. These are the moments that ultimately help create and strengthen their bond with their child.
Make an impact today
Support our mission by contributing a donation.