Fred's Footsteps
The Bridge Fund / Household Essentials Program · About this organization
What you get
Up to $10,000 for car payments and general repairs, funeral expenses, gas, electric, water, internet, and cell utilities, and groceries, household supplies, and diapers.
How to start
Your social worker starts the request. Ask them to fill in the request form with you.
Good to know
- Your household’s income must have been affected by your child’s medical condition.
- There must be a demonstrated relationship between your child’s illness and your household’s financial need.
The details, as published
The Bridge Fund may provide up to $10,000 per year for an eligible working family’s mortgage or rent, utilities including internet and cell phone, groceries, household supplies, diapers, home or auto insurance, car payments and repairs, Uber, transit or gas gift cards, sibling childcare, and funeral expenses. The child must be under 18, receiving medical treatment, and the condition must directly cause the current need; a hospital social worker applies through the portal. Deadlines, review timing, documents, payment mechanics, combination with other grants, and current capacity are not published.
What help you may get
Bereavement And Memorial Support
The Bridge Fund / Household Essentials Program — bereavement and memorial support
The Bridge Fund may provide up to $10,000 per year for an eligible working family’s mortgage or rent, utilities including internet and cell phone, groceries, household supplies, diapers, home or auto insurance, car payments and repairs, Uber, transit or gas gift cards, sibling childcare, and funeral expenses. The child must be under 18, receiving medical treatment, and the condition must directly cause the current need; a hospital social worker applies through the portal. Deadlines, review timing, documents, payment mechanics, combination with other grants, and current capacity are not published.
Up to $10,000
Can cover
- Car payments and general repairs
- Funeral expenses
- Gas, electric, water, internet, and cell utilities
- Groceries, household supplies, and diapers
- Home and car insurance
- Mortgage or rent
- Sibling childcare
- Uber, public-transportation, and gas cards
- The Bridge Fund covers up to $10,000; the organization also describes up to $20,000 across its programs over one year.
- The public page describes support over one year but does not publish the number of payments.
Childcare
The Bridge Fund / Household Essentials Program — childcare
The Bridge Fund may provide up to $10,000 per year for an eligible working family’s mortgage or rent, utilities including internet and cell phone, groceries, household supplies, diapers, home or auto insurance, car payments and repairs, Uber, transit or gas gift cards, sibling childcare, and funeral expenses. The child must be under 18, receiving medical treatment, and the condition must directly cause the current need; a hospital social worker applies through the portal. Deadlines, review timing, documents, payment mechanics, combination with other grants, and current capacity are not published.
Up to $10,000
Can cover
- Car payments and general repairs
- Funeral expenses
- Gas, electric, water, internet, and cell utilities
- Groceries, household supplies, and diapers
- Home and car insurance
- Mortgage or rent
- Sibling childcare
- Uber, public-transportation, and gas cards
- The Bridge Fund covers up to $10,000; the organization also describes up to $20,000 across its programs over one year.
- The public page describes support over one year but does not publish the number of payments.
Household Bills And Cash Assistance
The Bridge Fund / Household Essentials Program — household bills and cash assistance
The Bridge Fund may provide up to $10,000 per year for an eligible working family’s mortgage or rent, utilities including internet and cell phone, groceries, household supplies, diapers, home or auto insurance, car payments and repairs, Uber, transit or gas gift cards, sibling childcare, and funeral expenses. The child must be under 18, receiving medical treatment, and the condition must directly cause the current need; a hospital social worker applies through the portal. Deadlines, review timing, documents, payment mechanics, combination with other grants, and current capacity are not published.
Up to $10,000
Can cover
- Car payments and general repairs
- Funeral expenses
- Gas, electric, water, internet, and cell utilities
- Groceries, household supplies, and diapers
- Home and car insurance
- Mortgage or rent
- Sibling childcare
- Uber, public-transportation, and gas cards
- The Bridge Fund covers up to $10,000; the organization also describes up to $20,000 across its programs over one year.
- The public page describes support over one year but does not publish the number of payments.
Meals And Food
The Bridge Fund / Household Essentials Program — meals and food
The Bridge Fund may provide up to $10,000 per year for an eligible working family’s mortgage or rent, utilities including internet and cell phone, groceries, household supplies, diapers, home or auto insurance, car payments and repairs, Uber, transit or gas gift cards, sibling childcare, and funeral expenses. The child must be under 18, receiving medical treatment, and the condition must directly cause the current need; a hospital social worker applies through the portal. Deadlines, review timing, documents, payment mechanics, combination with other grants, and current capacity are not published.
Up to $10,000
Can cover
- Car payments and general repairs
- Funeral expenses
- Gas, electric, water, internet, and cell utilities
- Groceries, household supplies, and diapers
- Home and car insurance
- Mortgage or rent
- Sibling childcare
- Uber, public-transportation, and gas cards
- The Bridge Fund covers up to $10,000; the organization also describes up to $20,000 across its programs over one year.
- The public page describes support over one year but does not publish the number of payments.
Medical And Insurance Costs
The Bridge Fund / Household Essentials Program — medical and insurance costs
The Bridge Fund may provide up to $10,000 per year for an eligible working family’s mortgage or rent, utilities including internet and cell phone, groceries, household supplies, diapers, home or auto insurance, car payments and repairs, Uber, transit or gas gift cards, sibling childcare, and funeral expenses. The child must be under 18, receiving medical treatment, and the condition must directly cause the current need; a hospital social worker applies through the portal. Deadlines, review timing, documents, payment mechanics, combination with other grants, and current capacity are not published.
Up to $10,000
Can cover
- Car payments and general repairs
- Funeral expenses
- Gas, electric, water, internet, and cell utilities
- Groceries, household supplies, and diapers
- Home and car insurance
- Mortgage or rent
- Sibling childcare
- Uber, public-transportation, and gas cards
- The Bridge Fund covers up to $10,000; the organization also describes up to $20,000 across its programs over one year.
- The public page describes support over one year but does not publish the number of payments.
Travel And Transportation
The Bridge Fund / Household Essentials Program — travel and transportation
The Bridge Fund may provide up to $10,000 per year for an eligible working family’s mortgage or rent, utilities including internet and cell phone, groceries, household supplies, diapers, home or auto insurance, car payments and repairs, Uber, transit or gas gift cards, sibling childcare, and funeral expenses. The child must be under 18, receiving medical treatment, and the condition must directly cause the current need; a hospital social worker applies through the portal. Deadlines, review timing, documents, payment mechanics, combination with other grants, and current capacity are not published.
Up to $10,000
Can cover
- Car payments and general repairs
- Funeral expenses
- Gas, electric, water, internet, and cell utilities
- Groceries, household supplies, and diapers
- Home and car insurance
- Mortgage or rent
- Sibling childcare
- Uber, public-transportation, and gas cards
- The Bridge Fund covers up to $10,000; the organization also describes up to $20,000 across its programs over one year.
- The public page describes support over one year but does not publish the number of payments.
- The published monetary limit is shared across the listed benefit components.
Why this may help
Bereavement And Memorial Support: Funeral expenses can be considered within the Bridge Fund's help with family bills.
Childcare: Sibling childcare can be paid for alongside other bills during your child's illness.
Meals And Food: Groceries are included with household supplies and other everyday expenses.
Medical And Insurance Costs: The listed insurance help is for your home and car; medical-bill coverage is not described for this fund.
Travel And Transportation: Uber, public transport, gas cards, and car expenses can help you maintain transportation.
Check the main eligibility rules
Diagnosis
B-ALL is in scope. The published program scope includes pediatric cancer or serious childhood illness, so pediatric B-ALL is within the diagnosis category.
Age
Age 0 to age 17, measured at application.
- The child must be under age 18.
Treatment status
No specific treatment status is published.
- A provider must verify the patient or diagnosis.
- A hospital or medical social worker must submit the application.
Financial need is required.
- No numeric income limit is published on the reviewed official pages.
- The family’s income must have been affected by the child’s medical condition.
- There must be a demonstrated relationship between the child’s illness and the family’s financial need.
Where you live and where your child is treated
Where your family lives
You must live in: Atlantic County, New Jersey; Berks County, Pennsylvania; Bucks County, Pennsylvania; Burlington County, New Jersey; Camden County, New Jersey; Cape May County, New Jersey; Chester County, Pennsylvania; Cumberland County, New Jersey; Delaware County, Pennsylvania; Gloucester County, New Jersey; Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; Lehigh County, Pennsylvania; Mercer County, New Jersey; Montgomery County, Pennsylvania; New Castle County, Delaware; Northampton County, Pennsylvania; Ocean County, New Jersey; Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; Salem County, New Jersey.
- The family must live in a listed county.
Where your child is treated
No treatment-location restriction is published.
How to get started
Does a social worker or care team need to start it? Yes. Ask your child’s social worker or care team to begin the request.
Who can start: Parent Or Guardian, Caregiver, Social Worker
- Contact the hospital or medical social worker at the child’s treatment facility and ask them to review Fred’s Footsteps eligibility.
- Review the published program eligibility criteria and assistance categories with the family.
- If new to the portal, email diane@fredsfootsteps.org for approval and system access; returning approved users sign in.
- Work with the family to complete the authenticated application.
- Submit the application through the Social Worker Submission Portal for Grant Advisory Committee review.
Ways to apply or ask
- Email · diane@fredsfootsteps.org — New social-worker users must email for approval and system access before submitting an application.
- Online Portal · Open form or page — Returning approved social workers sign in; the application is not public.
Documents to prepare
- Documents requested in the social-worker portal; the public page does not list them
- Funding is directed to the approved financial burden; exact payment mechanics are not published.
Availability and timing
| Program | Active |
|---|---|
| Applications | Not Published |
| Funding or space | Fund Dependent |
| Application window | Rolling |
| Last checked | Aug 24, 2026 |
- The current 2026 page directs hospital social workers to the application portal.
- No deadline is published.
Limitations and things to confirm
- County residence, age, treatment, work-history, and illness-related financial-need rules all apply.
- Only a hospital or medical social worker may submit.
- The public page does not list required documents or exact payment mechanics.
- What deadlines, documents, review, payment, capacity, grant combination, and overall cap rules apply?
Official sources
Program details were last verified Aug 24, 2026. Availability can change, so check the official program before applying.
- Financial Assistance for Philadelphia Families in Need | Fred's Footsteps · checked Aug 27, 2026
- The Bridge Fund / Household Essentials Program · checked Aug 24, 2026
- The Bridge Fund / Household Essentials Program · checked Aug 27, 2026
- The Bridge Fund / Household Essentials Program · checked Aug 27, 2026