By: Kate Houck, Chief Energy Officer/Executive Director
Airline safety briefings tell passengers to put on their own oxygen mask before helping anyone else. David’s Refuge uses that image to describe its mission: offering care to the caregiver. For parents raising children with significant medical or developmental needs, that advice is easy to agree with and nearly impossible to follow.
A Need That Is Easy to Overlook
One in every 26 American families is raising a child with a disability, and many of those parents provide round-the-clock care with little relief. Friends and family can pull away because they no longer know how to relate, and a child’s needs can dictate the family’s every move, leaving parents little say over how they spend their time. Self-care falls to the bottom of the list, and exhaustion follows.
David’s Refuge exists to interrupt that cycle. Its mission is to provide respite, resources and support to parents and guardians of children with special needs or life-threatening medical conditions, so they can be refreshed, restored and renewed in their role as caregivers.
The Heart of the Work
The organization’s signature offerings include an overnight weekend respite program, wellness programming and community events. During respite, caregiving couples receive a getaway at no cost, typically two nights at a Central New York bed-and-breakfast, made possible by donations from the community. The weekends encourage social connection where several couples attend at once, allowing for parents to meet others walking a similar path. For families who often feel isolated, that connection can matter as much as the rest.
Because not every family can make a scheduled weekend work, David’s Refuge offers a reimbursement respite program allowing parents to plan their own one- or two-night break, on a weekday or weekend, pay up front, and apply for reimbursement afterward.
The wellness programming covers five areas (physical, emotional, spiritual, social and financial) and includes a monthly newsletter along with virtual and in-person offerings. David’s Refuge has also partnered with CNY Mental Health Counseling to support caregivers and their families with their mental health needs.
Community programming is hosted throughout the year, both virtual and in person, some for whole families and some for caregivers alone, and offers a private Facebook page where caregivers can connect. Each November, during National Caregiver Awareness Month, caregivers can find weekly wellness tips and education about caregiver burnout.
Growth and Recognition
David’s Refuge has grown considerably. What began in 2012 as a small start-up serving 43 parents a year has grown to support nearly 1000 families annually with extensive year-round programming. The mission continues to draw wider notice and recognition. In 2026, SUNY Upstate selected David’s Refuge as its Your Cause charity, which brings volunteer support and funding to expand support for caregivers and their children.
How to Help
Demand is high, and the organization relies on the community. It receives no state or government funding. Supporters can give monthly, volunteer, give through their business or attend one of many wonderful fundraising events. Caregivers who need support, or anyone who knows one, can find the application and all event information at davidsrefuge.org. In a system that mostly focuses on the child, David’s Refuge reminds parents that they matter too, and that families and our community thrive when we do one simple thing- care for the caregiver.
Join us! Davidsrefuge.org