our programs
emergency housing
While we diligently work towards building Papa Joe's House, a hospitality home where patients & caregivers can find peace, hope & rest during their advanced heart failure journey, we think it's important to stand in the gap for families in absolute crisis now. Our Emergency Housing program allows us to cover the cost of temporary lodging for families who would otherwise face rejection from the VAD or heart transplant program for financial reasons. We work exclusively with hospital social workers who connect patients in need with an application for assistance.
Short term financial assistance
We're available to meet a number of additional needs for patients in dire financial situations. We gift gas cards, pay utility bills, connect clients with resources in their hometown for further assistance, and more. We also provide emotional support throughout the course of their treatment with weekly check ins and hospital visits.
Papa Joe's Plates
Papa Joe's Plates is our newest endeavor to help families eat healthily. Join us on this journey to good-tasting, heart-healthy meals – a journey you can share with your family that will impact generations to come. On this heart failure road so many things seem out of our control but what we eat is totally our choice and defines in a big way how we feel. This is wonderful news, and we know together we can do it! We are excited about how surprising, how good, and how easy, you will find cooking for you and your family can be. You can find the app by typing in your browser app.tjbf.org
holiday outreach
If you've ever spent a holiday in the hospital, you know just how dismal it can be. The vast majority of VAD and heart transplant patients live an hour or more away from where they're being treated, adding a layer of complication to an already difficult situation. One of the primary objectives of The Joe Beretta Foundation is to come alongside patients and families in these difficult moments and remind them that they're not alone or forgotten. We provide gifts and/or meals for all inpatient families on Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Thanksgiving, and all celebrations observed during the holiday season.
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To purchase a gift for patients this holiday season, click here.
hospital comfort bags
Hospital Comfort Bags are provided during different stages of a family's journey. Most patients receiving a VAD or heart transplant are far from home and all are in critical health. The emotional and physical toll this takes on a family cannot be understated. When a patient is first admitted to the VAD or heart transplant program, we offer families a few comforts of home to assist in their adjustment to life in the hospital. Admission Comfort Bags include items like....
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A Warm Blanket
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Travel & Card Games
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Unscented Lotion
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An Uplifting Book
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Travel Coffee Mugs
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Names, Phone Numbers & Addresses of Local Restaurants (especially ones that deliver!)
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Patients and families also receive subsequent comfort bags full of healthy snacks they can enjoy during the long weeks of their hospital stay.
Hospital visitation team
We launched our hospital visitation team in an effort to provide support to patients walking through the difficult journey of in-patient treatment. We have a rotating schedule of volunteers that meet with patients and caregivers every week in their hospital room. They serve as a resource, meet small practical needs and offer conversation that isn't medically driven but rather focuses on how they're doing as a person. When you're in the middle of a crisis, there's something so special about having someone listen compassionately and stand in your corner. Our team does just that and more!
For more information about our Nashville Hospital Visitation Team, please contact Lillian Beretta.
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For more information about our Pittsburgh Hospital Visitation Team, please contact Gloria Andreozzi.
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By Check
Donating by check? Send checks payable to:
The Joe Beretta Foundation
P.O. Box 777
Mount Juliet, TN 37121
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Over the Phone
Have questions about donating or getting involved? Give us a call!
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615-852-7804