Material Support as Health Foundation

Completed a merger with The Children's Consortium in 2024, incorporating its programs to expand services for the parenting community in Central New York.

Hosts a free Community Baby Shower event in Oswego County that distributes baby supplies, provides interactive education stations, and connects new and expecting parents with community resources and navigation services.

Acts as the lead agency for evidence-based and evidence-informed programs in Syracuse aimed at reducing adolescent and unplanned pregnancy through youth development, education on healthy relationships, and connecting teens to affordable health care services.

Provides information and promotes syringe safety and disposal in community settings through the Expanded Syringe Access Program and Safe Sharps Disposal initiative.

Offers free monthly breastfeeding support meetings led by Certified Lactation Counselors and peer leaders in multiple locations across Oswego County to promote breastfeeding and improve family health.

Helps high-need women and their families enroll in health insurance through NY State of Health, including Medicaid, Child Health Plus, and the Essential Plan.

Offers virtual and in-person parenting education classes, including the seven-session Circle of Security program and the Active Parenting curriculum, delivered through multi-week virtual sessions to support positive family development.

Operates the Perinatal and Infant Community Health Collaborative, which provides home visits and one-on-one education for pregnant individuals and parents of children under age 2 on topics including childbirth, breastfeeding, smoking cessation, and parenting, using a Community Health Worker model.

Implements the Safe Sleep Education and Cribs for Kids Program by training over 200 professionals as Safe Sleep Educators and supporting the distribution of over 800 cribs to local families in need, in partnership with Cribs For Kids®.

Provides professionally supervised child visitation in a child-friendly environment, including therapeutic visitation with social workers, intake interviews, and report production for courts and attorneys to support family interventions and bonding.

Operates a text line for youth in Syracuse to access confidential assistance, supporting adolescent health and safety.

Provides afterschool programs, spring and summer break day camps, and community event tabling focused on life skills, health practices, art, science and technology, nature exploration, and social communication skills for youth in the Syracuse City School District.

Accepts and manages in-kind donations of diapers, pull-ups, wipes, and diaper creams to support distribution programs for families in need.

Expands hygiene support to include access to clean period supplies for menstruating individuals in need, distributed through the same channels as diapering supplies.

Advocates for underserved families facing diaper need across Western New York to influence policy and increase awareness of basic hygiene insecurity.

Distributes diapers, wipes, baby-related items, and period supplies to families and individuals in need across Western New York via community partnerships, pop-up events, and local agencies including shelters, food pantries, daycares, and health facilities.

Provides up to 50 diapers or 25 pull-ups and wipes per child under three years old each month to low-income families in Western New York through regular distributions at community centers and partner agencies.

Operates a community room where donated baby and children’s items—including clothing, blankets, books, feeding supplies, cribs, and pack and plays—are sorted, organized, and made available to families. Volunteers sort and maintain inventory to ensure shelves remain stocked.