Life Essentials
The primary program of the Michael Magro Foundation, Life Essentials helps families by relieving non-medical burdens and easing their financial hardship by providing funds for household essentials and non-medical expenses related to treatments for their child.
For most families with a newly diagnosed child with cancer or other catastrophic illness, the first reaction is shock. Parents must navigate their child’s many needs
- doctor appointments
- diagnostic testing
- hospitalizations
- figuring our schooling for a child now home
- dealing with side effects of treatment
- the list seems endless.
Many families realize one parent needs to leave their job to tend to the sick child. However, bills still need to be paid and there is now one less salary with which to pay them.
Through the Life Essentials program, Michael Magro Foundation steps in to pay household bills and non-medical expenses related to treatment such as
- utilities
- rent
- home heating oil
- and much more
- co-pays for doctor visits
- prescriptions
- car rides to/from treatments
In addition to checks written directly to pay utility, rent, and loan bills, Life Essentials distributes more than $3,500 per month in gift cards to needy patients and families.
- Supermarket gift cards help ensure patients have healthy food at home.
- Gift cards to large ‘box stores’ help families with the cost of household necessities.
- Gas gift cards and gift cards to Lyft and Uber have helped families bring their children to their scheduled appointments. To the family, this assistance alleviates the financial stress of commuting expenses.
- Gift cards for birthday gifts for the families, a rare dinner out, or even a small birthday party for a sibling who has been in the ‘back seat’ since their brother or sister got sick.
The goal of Life Essentials is to make sure that families struggling through their child’s illness are able to keep things at home as normal and steady as possible.