Just Breathe Foundation

What Just Breathe Foundation does

Just Breathe Foundation is an independent, Rochester-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit established on November 1, 2013, to reduce the financial burden of cystic fibrosis for individuals and families in Western New York. Its Financial Assistance Program awards funds case by case for prescription costs, medical bills, surgery, medical travel, insurance, medical equipment, rent or mortgage, hospitalization-related costs including CF tune-ups for hospitalized patients, and has a stated goal of covering up to 100% of qualifying lung-transplant costs. The foundation also makes grants to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and its beneficiary geography is limited to Western New York residents, with the Greater Rochester Area described as having approximately 180 people living with cystic fibrosis.\n\nOperationally, the foundation is donation-funded rather than a product or service vendor. It accepts online and mail-in tax-deductible donations, with a $2 minimum online, and uses an annual CF Christmas Ball as a recurring fundraising and awareness vehicle through ticket sales, sponsorship packages, auctions, raffles, and program advertising. Its digital infrastructure is a WordPress website with FormCraft forms for assistance applications, donations, contact, and board recruitment, alongside Facebook and Instagram accounts. The organization reports 1-10 employees, no parent company or subsidiaries, no app or API, and active operation with assistance applications open.\n\nThe foundation is inspired by Jenna Simonetti, a local woman diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, and its eight board members provide community connection and governance. It has operated continuously since 2013, achieving its 501(c)(3) status in April 2015 and reaching the 10th annual CF Christmas Ball in December 2019.

Name

Just Breathe Foundation

Legal name

Just Breathe Foundation

Website

https://justbreathecf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Just Breathe Foundation is a Rochester-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides case-by-case financial assistance to cystic fibrosis patients and families in Western New York, covering medical and essential living expenses through donations and community fundraising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Patient Financial Assistance Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS) (BPAGACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

International & Local Implementing NGOs (HLAJAKAD)

Keywords

• Cystic fibrosis assistance
• Patient financial aid
• Nonprofit fundraising
• Community foundation
• Medical grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Rochester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations. Accepts online donations via website (minimum $2.00), personal checks, cash, and credit card information via mail. Organization is exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
2. Event Fundraising - CF Christmas Ball: Annual black-tie gala event with ticket sales ($110-$150 per person depending on purchase date), sponsorship packages at multiple tiers (Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze), auction and raffle donations, and program advertising. 10th annual event held December 21, 2019.
3. Grants to CF Foundation: Foundation provides grants to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to support broader CF research and assistance programs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Just Breathe Foundation is a nonprofit that provides direct financial assistance grants to cystic fibrosis patients and families in Western New York, covering prescription costs, medical bills, rent/mortgage, surgery costs, travel expenses, insurance costs, and lung transplant expenses. The foundation awards assistance on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of its board, and supplements this with grants to the broader Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Funding is raised via online and mail-in tax-deductible donations and an annual CF Christmas Ball gala.

Product overview

Just Breathe Foundation operates as a non-profit charitable organization offering two core programs: a Financial Assistance Program that provides grants to cystic fibrosis patients and families in Western New York for medical and living expenses, and the annual CF Christmas Ball, a fundraising event that raises awareness and funds for the foundation. The foundation was inspired by Jenna Simonetti, a local woman diagnosed with CF, and is governed by an executive board and committee members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Financial Assistance Program A grant program providing direct financial assistance to cystic fibrosis patients and families in Western New York to help cover prescription costs, medical bills, rent/mortgage, surgery costs, travel expenses for medical reasons, insurance costs, and CF tune-ups for hospitalized patients. Assistance is awarded on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the board, with the goal of covering up to 100% of lung transplant costs for qualifying recipients.
• CF Christmas Ball An annual black-tie fundraising gala held at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center, dedicated to raising awareness for cystic fibrosis and generating funds for the Just Breathe Foundation. The event includes ticket sales ($110-$150 per person), tiered sponsorship packages (Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze), auction and raffle donations, and program advertising opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 12 local families helped in first year of operation
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Children's Miracle Network: A national nonprofit raising funds for children's hospitals, many of which treat CF patients. Comparable in event-driven fundraising and disease-specific care support, but operates at much larger scale through hospital partnerships.
• Patient Advocate Foundation: A national nonprofit providing case management and financial aid funds to patients with chronic and life-threatening illnesses, including CF. Overlaps in providing financial assistance to patients facing medical cost burdens but operates at significantly broader scale.
• HealthWell Foundation: A larger nonprofit that provides financial assistance to underinsured patients across many chronic and rare diseases, including cystic fibrosis. Overlaps with Just Breathe Foundation's core mission of covering out-of-pocket medical costs but operates at national scale across multiple disease areas.

Direct peers

• Claire's Place Foundation: A CF-focused nonprofit that provides direct financial assistance, hospital stays support, and community-building grants to CF patients and families. Closely comparable in scale and in its model of providing case-by-case grants for CF-related living and medical expenses.
• Boomer Esiason Foundation: A CF-focused nonprofit that raises funds for CF research and provides direct financial and emotional support to CF patients and families. Directly comparable in disease focus, grantmaking to patients, and event-driven fundraising model.
• Cystic Fibrosis Foundation: The national, leading nonprofit dedicated to cystic fibrosis research, care, and patient support. Just Breathe Foundation channels a portion of its grants directly to the CFF and serves an overlapping beneficiary population (CF patients), making it the closest disease-specific peer.
• Cystic Fibrosis Research Institute: A nonprofit that funds CF research and community support programs for CF patients and families. Operates a similar patient-focused grantmaking and community-building mission to Just Breathe Foundation.

Others

• NeedyMeds: A national nonprofit information resource that helps patients find assistance programs for medication and healthcare costs, including CF-related treatments. Adjacent rather than directly competitive; serves a similar patient financial-assistance need but through information rather than direct grantmaking.

Emerging players

• HelpHOPELive: A nonprofit that helps patients (including CF patients) fundraise for medical costs including transplants. Comparable in supporting CF patients with transplant and treatment expenses, but uses a community-based fundraising model rather than direct grants.

Regional players

• United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes: The dominant community foundation operating in the same Western New York/Rochester service area as Just Breathe Foundation. Comparable in local geographic focus and donor community, though broader in mission across health and human services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/justbreathefoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/justbreathefoundation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Just Breathe Foundation