9/15/2025
St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children has received a $68,000 grant secured by Councilwoman Vickie Paladino, who represents Northeastern Queens, to purchase an 11-passenger wheelchair-accessible van. The van has already been delivered and is now in daily use, providing families with safe, dependable, and cost-free transportation to access the specialized care St. Mary’s provides.
For many caregivers, traveling to St. Mary’s Bayside campus from neighborhoods across New York City and Long Island can take up to two hours by public transit, often requiring multiple transfers. These long commutes can create major challenges for managing work, childcare, and daily responsibilities. For low-income families, the cost of transportation can be prohibitive, especially when visiting a hospitalized child multiple times a week. When families are unable to visit, it can impact both the child’s recovery and the family’s overall well-being.
The new van is already helping families overcome these obstacles, allowing them to visit their children regularly, participate in care planning, discharge preparation, and clinician-led family training– ultimately improving the child’s care and quality of life.
“Supporting the families and children at St. Mary’s is deeply personal to me. I have visited the site many times, spending time with the kids, reading to them during story time, and witnessing firsthand the incredible care provided here,” said Councilwoman Vickie Paladino. “Ensuring that families can be with their children during treatment is essential, and I’m proud to have secured funding for this new accessible van that will make that possible. St. Mary’s holds a special place in my heart, and I will continue to stand by them in their mission to give every child the chance to heal, thrive, and feel supported.”
“With this van now on the road, the families of St. Mary’s no longer face transportation related barriers to accessing the level of care that is needed for their child’s health and happiness,” said Sean Lally, President and CEO of St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children. “We are so grateful to Councilwoman Paladino for securing this generous grant, which is already making a real difference in the lives of children and families we serve.”
As the only center for pediatric long-term and rehabilitative care in New York City, St. Mary’s has served New York’s children for more than 150 years. St. Mary’s provides a continuum of care to children with medically complex conditions through an in-patient hospital facility in Bayside, Queens, as well as home care services and community programs.
