The Children’s Inn provides free, family-centered lodging and overnight stays (a “Place Like Home”), meals and communal dining, recreational/therapeutic/educational programs and activities, social and emotional supports, case-management and family services (including help with travel/transportation and isolation-room accommodations when needed), and on-site spaces for play, study and respite while a child receives care at the NIH Clinical Center.
The NIH Clinical Center is the federal government’s hospital for clinical research where investigators run medical research studies and clinical trials; The Children’s Inn partners with the Clinical Center by housing and supporting children, young adults and their families who come to the NIH to take part in those research studies so families can stay nearby while medical care and research occur at the Clinical Center.
Jennie Lucca is the Chief Executive Officer of The Children’s Inn at NIH; as CEO she oversees the Inn’s operations, fundraising and strategy, leads the organization’s staff and programs that provide free lodging and family support, and represents the Inn publicly (including in events and remarks) to advance its mission and partnerships with NIH and donors.
Children staying at The Children’s Inn typically participate in a wide range of pediatric clinical research at the NIH—often trials for rare, serious or hard-to-diagnose conditions (including genetic, immunologic, neurological, metabolic and oncologic disorders). The Inn’s recent impact reporting noted residents represented 110 different medical conditions and participated in studies across many NIH institutes and centers.
A First Lady’s visit is generally a ceremonial/high‑profile show of support that raises awareness and can boost visibility for fundraising and public goodwill; it does not by itself change federal funding or NIH policy—any funding or policy changes require formal actions by Congress, NIH, or the Administration and follow separate processes.
The Children’s Inn typically serves about 1,500 families per year (recently lower during renovation years; e.g., FY24–FY25 reported 821 families while construction reduced capacity) and provides its lodging and core services to families at no charge.