OUR MISSION
Hand to Hold® is dedicated to providing early-intervention mental health support before, during, and after a NICU stay, ensuring that all NICU families thrive.
OUR WHY
When babies need the specialized medical attention of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), it is emotionally traumatic to the parent and disruptive to traditional parent-baby bonding. NICU parents are more likely to experience postpartum depression, anxiety disorders and PTSD.
Support Programs and Resources for NICU Parents and NICU Professionals
Support Groups
Peer Mentors
Online Communities
Counseling (TX & FL)
Resources for NICU Professionals
Podcasts
Support Groups
Counseling (TX & FL)
Podcasts
Peer Mentors
Online Communities
Resources for NICU Professionals
OUR STORY
There are defining moments in each of our lives—moments of joy, moments of sorrow, and moments that reshape us in ways we could never anticipate. My defining moment came on a hot summer day in 2000 when I gave birth to my son, Jackson, at just 24 weeks gestation. He weighed one pound, eight ounces.
Those early months in the NICU, followed by years of therapies, doctor visits, and uncertainty, forever changed the trajectory of my life. Two and a half years later, our daughter Lauren arrived six weeks early and faced complications of her own. Though her NICU stay was brief, the fear, grief, and loneliness felt achingly familiar.
Despite being surrounded by friends and family, I longed for someone who truly understood—a hand to hold through the fear, trauma, and unknowns of life in and after the NICU. That longing planted the seed that eventually grew into Hand to Hold.
Read Kelli’s NICU Story & Inspiration for Founding Hand to Hold Here
Our Values
Belonging
We foster safe and caring spaces for healing. We cultivate a community of empathy, honor each unique journey and prioritize peer support.
Compassion
We recognize the heartache, grief and trauma NICU families experience and meet them where they are with grace and acceptance.
Equity
We commit to fairness and impartiality in all that we do. We must be well-informed and inclusive of all perspectives to meet diverse needs with accessible, comprehensive support.
Integrity
We are trustworthy, honest, reliable, authentic and accountable. We commit to holding ourselves and our partners to the highest of standards.
Bold
We are thought leaders and change makers. We embrace vulnerability and engage in courageous conversations.
Growth
We are always learning, developing innovative programs and evolving strategies to champion a world where all NICU families thrive.
Hand to Hold is an active member of the National Perinatal Association and its Family Advocacy Network. We are a founding member of the NICU Parent Network and active in the National Coalition for Infant Health. For information on speaking opportunities, visit our newsroom.
Hand to Hold is a nonprofit 501(c)3 parent support organization, and information and resources provided here do not intend to take the place of the relationship between a patient and personal physician.
Partnering Organizations
