Get Involved

Sponsor a Child

THANK YOU FOR PUTTING A SMILE ON THEIR FACES!

49% of children at PATCHES are from families who live below the poverty line. Many are ineligible for Medicaid. Insurance companies do not reimburse PPEC programs either. PATCHES welcomes all children – regardless of their ability to pay and the cost runs into hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. Support and watch a child, despite illness, grow, blossom and delight in their lives – from preemies with complex illness, to Down Syndrome children with medical needs. Your dollars will work hard to improve their health day by day.

Thank you for your gift of hope for a brighter future.

Educate a Child

NO CHILD IS LEFT BEHIND AT PATCHES – especially children with complex illness who cannot be in a classroom!

PATCHES believes that all children, with opportunity, have the potential to be lawyers, doctors or scientists and every opportunity to learn should be afforded to them! Many children come limited by the emotional stress of coping with long- term illness and often isolating hospital stays. In an enriching learning environment, a teacher and an aide, teach to the children’s needs and strengths, and help them master their early learning milestones. The children at PATCHES are never defined by their illness, but are surrounded by love and compassion and instilled with confidence to develop and grow, and live life to their fullest potential. 98% will eventually mainstream to their normal peer group.

The Education program is funded by PATCHES. Heartbeats endorses and supports this program.

Join Us!

Breathing Therapy

INFUSE A BREATH OF LIFE!

Due to high levels of pesticides and fertilizers in the air, the incidence of chronic asthma and pulmonary conditions in South Dade among black and Latino children, 5 and under, are higher than in any other group in Florida. PATCHES independently funds an on staff respiratory therapist who provides twice daily respiratory evaluations and treatments for children struggling with breathing issues, manages tracheostomies and steps up for immediate crisis intervention, stabilizing a child in a critical, life threatening event.

Thank you for contributing to the remediating breathing treatments that sustain children suffering from breathing difficulties. Your generous donation will pay for the professional therapist administering the treatments and all the vital equipment necessary to sustain the program.

PATCHES funds this vital program and Heartbeats is committed to sustaining the program.

PATCHES Pantry

Pantry

Once a month Heartbeats shops to restock the PATCHES pantry with healthy snacks for the children at PATCHES. While they do receive healthy lunch and snack, many children are food insecure and need additional nutrition. We are proud to be the devoted suppliers and work closely with the staff.

TO GET INVOLVED PLEASE CONTACT KAREN WAAS AT 305.219.3954

PATCHES Wishlist

Wishlist

Medicaid pays for new wheelchairs, but unfortunately this happens only every 5 years and is determined by the Medicaid schedule rather than the growth of the child. Rather than allowing the child’s needs to go unmet, these expensive wheelchairs and other rehab equipment are supplied by PATCHES.

Help us keep the PATCHES children mobile!

Collections

During the course of a day at PATCHES, the PATCHES kids are given the highest standard of care and hygiene. Infants and toddlers need frequent diaper changes, as well as older children whose physical disabilities require them to be permanently in diapers. The need for diapers in all sizes is ongoing and a welcome donation item.

Many of the children who come to PATCHES are bathed and clothed daily, creating a demand for soap and shampoo, towels and new or gently used baby clothes, wipes and cream.

The PATCHES school program and many of the therapists welcome gently used children’s books for early learners. Art materials, papers, crayons, paint and decorative items will also help the children creatively learn and explore their world.

Please help PATCHES by starting a collection in your church, synagogue, school or civic group to donate these items.

To get involved please contact Betty Quinn 305-281-3014 or Sally Russomanno 305-632-0256 sarussomanno@yahoo.com for more information and to schedule a time.

Volunteer

Rock-a-Baby

Snuggle a baby!

Like all babies, babies at PATCHES love to be held by warm, loving arms to help get them through their day. Their response is palpable as they are soothed by your touch. The nurses are grateful for the help you bring to their busy schedule. Spend an hour in the bustle of the PATCHES nursery, hold a baby and share your love with a child.

For the safety of the children, all volunteers at PATCHES must first be given a clearance test. Please call PATCHES at 305-242-8122 for more information.

Please contact Dianne Tannenbaum at 305- 801-3762 or Susan Malca at 305-519-6134

Reading Room

Join the PATCHES children for 30 minutes of reading and fun on a Wednesday or Thursday each week.

Join the Reading Room from home with an exciting COVID friendly, Zoom reading and discussion session with teacher Maria and the children at PATCHES..
Pick your book from our specially curated list of books and sign up for your session! We will be happy to share and facilitate follow up art projects based on themes from the book.
We are happy to set up your Zoom time if the technicalities just aren’t your thing!
This Zoom format is working so well and providing so much joy to the children that it will remain an option after COVID.

To get involved please contact Sally Russomanno 305-632-0256 sarussomanno@yahoo.com or Jen Resnick 305-495-4833 jensresnick@gmail.com for more information and to schedule a time.

It Takes a Village!

Today the number of children at the center has grown to 60-75 children a day. And the center is bursting at the seams! Kyle and Joanie’s dream is still unfinished. It takes a village to raise a child. Kyle and Joanie are looking to build that village, their field of dreams, to expand their services to the children with complex illness, in our South Dade community!
The PATCHES Village Campus is a dazzling concept of care, a vision that optimizes the chances of a healthy future for children with illness and ensures that they are not left behind. It will be a safe haven and nursing center staffed by vigilant professional nurses and therapists, for an expanded population of children daily; include an onsite school, dedicated to educating medically fragile children in tandem with their daily medical/therapeutic treatments; include a long-term housing facility for young adults with profound, long term disabilities, who age out at 21 years and currently have no dedicated place to go, and examining rooms to facilitate pediatric specialists visiting the children on campus.
The PATCHES field of dreams is becoming a reality! Plans for a brand new, state of the art campus are unfolding. PATCHES will have a true home of its’ own to serve a community of children desperately in need of its’ services. There is none like it in Dade County. We would love to tell you more about it.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

If you are interested in talking with us about joining our passionate group of people who are working to make this happen.
For more information please call:
Rolando Rodriguez
305-726-4904.

Fundraise

It’s your Birthday!

Celebrating your birthday is one wonderful way to raise dollars for PATCHES. Start a birthday celebration fundraiser and invite friends and family to celebrate you and support the children.

Honor a loved one who has recently passed away by donating to our Tribute Fund. Invite friends to honor them too through the Tribute Fund.

Patches Garden

Heartbeats for PATCHES, in conjunction with Temple Beth Am volunteers built a beautiful raised-bed vegetable garden for the children at PATCHES. Please help us maintain and replant the beds throughout the year. We welcome you to join the team and volunteer to the extent you are able. Please call Carrieanne Coloma 305-409-4940 or email cacoloma@loandepot.com