Written by a parent, not a doctor. Nothing here is medical advice.

Set up the ask

Pennies From Heaven Pittsburgh

Family Assistance

What you get

Help with food, hospital living stipends, larger emergency needs approved through hospital social work, overnight and hospital-living supplies, sibling care, and transportation. Ask whether requests are open.

Who starts it
Your social worker
How it’s sent
Through your social worker
Your time
One conversation with your social worker
Last checked
Aug 27, 2026

Before you start, check you fit

  • You cannot apply through a public form; hospital social work handles requests.
  • A family cannot self-apply through a public form.
  • The program is limited to families with a child admitted to UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.
  1. One thing to do: ask your social workerThey send it. You give them what they need.

    Pennies From Heaven Pittsburgh takes requests from your social worker, not from families. Copy this message, or say it at the next visit.

    Hi [social worker’s name],
    
    Could you send a request to Pennies From Heaven Pittsburgh for us? They offer help with food, hospital living stipends, larger emergency needs approved through hospital social work, overnight and hospital-living supplies, sibling care, and transportation, and it has to come from you. Their page is here: https://www.penniesfromheavenpittsburgh.org/
    
    Tell me what you need from me and I’ll bring it to our next visit. Thank you for everything you do for us.
    
    [your name] · [phone]
    Copying is the only thing this page does with your text. Nothing is saved.
    Their program page ↗ Checked Aug 27, 2026

    What to bring to the meeting

    • Your child’s diagnosis, the hospital’s name, and what you need help with.

    What happens next

    • The hospital social worker identifies your immediate need and follows the internal approval process for larger assistance.
    • The social worker communicates and provides the approved immediate assistance to the admitted family.

After your social worker sends it

Follow up with the hospital social worker about what immediate assistance is available and whether additional approval is needed.

Full record, as published