Earlier Identification.
Earlier Identification.
Earlier Identification.
Better Preparation.
Better Preparation.
Better Preparation.
Greater Stability.
Greater Stability.
Greater Stability.
The Bertie Fund strengthens families' ability to navigate dementia and sustain care at home through early identification, caregiver preparation, and targeted financial relief.
The Bertie Fund strengthens families' ability to navigate dementia and sustain care at home through early identification, caregiver preparation, and targeted financial relief.
The Bertie Fund strengthens families' ability to navigate dementia and sustain care at home through early identification, caregiver preparation, and targeted financial relief.
We serve dementia caregivers and families navigating cognitive decline.
We focus on households that fall into the middle income gap of caregiving support, where families earn too much to qualify for most public assistance but not enough to absorb the full cost of long-term dementia care.
We also prioritize communities that experience higher rates of dementia and later diagnosis, where families often have less time to plan and fewer pathways to support.
We serve dementia caregivers and families navigating cognitive decline.
We focus on households that fall into the middle income gap of caregiving support, where families earn too much to qualify for most public assistance but not enough to absorb the full cost of long-term dementia care.
We also prioritize communities that experience higher rates of dementia and later diagnosis, where families often have less time to plan and fewer pathways to support.
We serve dementia caregivers and families navigating cognitive decline.
We focus on households that fall into the middle income gap of caregiving support, where families earn too much to qualify for most public assistance but not enough to absorb the full cost of long-term dementia care.
We also prioritize communities that experience higher rates of dementia and later diagnosis, where families often have less time to plan and fewer pathways to support.
What We Do
What We Do
What We Do
Identify
Identify
Identify
01
Our initiatives have transformed thousands of lives through education, healthcare, and relief efforts. Every project we undertake is focused on creating lasting, meaningful change.
Our initiatives have transformed thousands of lives through education, healthcare, and relief efforts. Every project we undertake is focused on creating lasting, meaningful change.
Our initiatives have transformed thousands of lives through education, healthcare, and relief efforts. Every project we undertake is focused on creating lasting, meaningful change.
Prepare
Prepare
Prepare
02
We strengthen caregiver preparation by providing practical guidance, training, and tools that help families understand dementia, plan ahead, and navigate the progression of care with greater confidence.
We strengthen caregiver preparation by providing practical guidance, training, and tools that help families understand dementia, plan ahead, and navigate the progression of care with greater confidence.
We strengthen caregiver preparation by providing practical guidance, training, and tools that help families understand dementia, plan ahead, and navigate the progression of care with greater confidence.
Support
Support
Support
03
Our services provide targeted financial relief to dementia caregivers experiencing significant financial strain. This support helps stabilize families during periods of high caregiving demand and crisis.
Our services provide targeted financial relief to dementia caregivers experiencing significant financial strain. This support helps stabilize families during periods of high caregiving demand and crisis.
Our services provide targeted financial relief to dementia caregivers experiencing significant financial strain. This support helps stabilize families during periods of high caregiving demand and crisis.
Why We Exist
Why We Exist
Why We Exist
Dementia places sustained emotional, physical, and financial demands on families.
Caregivers spend nearly twice as much out of pocket as other caregivers, averaging approximately $12,000 per year, while providing an average of 47 hours of care per week, often for years.
The financial support system offers families only two paths.
Medicaid supports those with the fewest resources, while private pay options require substantial personal wealth.
Families in the middle, earning too much to qualify for assistance but not enough to absorb the full cost of care, are left to manage on their own.
This gap is compounded by disparities in diagnosis and access to care: Black Americans are diagnosed with dementia at roughly twice the rate of white Americans, often at later stages, when fewer options for planning and support remain.
The Bertie Fund exists to close these gaps, helping families recognize dementia earlier, prepare for what lies ahead, and access financial relief at moments of critical need.
Dementia places sustained emotional, physical, and financial demands on families.
Caregivers spend nearly twice as much out of pocket as other caregivers, averaging approximately $12,000 per year, while providing an average of 47 hours of care per week, often for years.
The financial support system offers families only two paths.
Medicaid supports those with the fewest resources, while private pay options require substantial personal wealth.
Families in the middle, earning too much to qualify for assistance but not enough to absorb the full cost of care, are left to manage on their own.
This gap is compounded by disparities in diagnosis and access to care: Black Americans are diagnosed with dementia at roughly twice the rate of white Americans, often at later stages, when fewer options for planning and support remain.
The Bertie Fund exists to close these gaps, helping families recognize dementia earlier, prepare for what lies ahead, and access financial relief at moments of critical need.
Dementia places sustained emotional, physical, and financial demands on families.
Caregivers spend nearly twice as much out of pocket as other caregivers, averaging approximately $12,000 per year, while providing an average of 47 hours of care per week, often for years.
The financial support system offers families only two paths.
Medicaid supports those with the fewest resources, while private pay options require substantial personal wealth.
Families in the middle, earning too much to qualify for assistance but not enough to absorb the full cost of care, are left to manage on their own.
This gap is compounded by disparities in diagnosis and access to care: Black Americans are diagnosed with dementia at roughly twice the rate of white Americans, often at later stages, when fewer options for planning and support remain.
The Bertie Fund exists to close these gaps, helping families recognize dementia earlier, prepare for what lies ahead, and access financial relief at moments of critical need.
Meet Bertie
Meet Bertie
Meet Bertie
The Bertie Fund is named in honor of Bertie, who is living with dementia and is cared for by her family, and who also served as a caregiver for her own family members.
The Bertie Fund is named in honor of Bertie, who is living with dementia and is cared for by her family, and who also served as a caregiver for her own family members.
The Bertie Fund is named in honor of Bertie, who is living with dementia and is cared for by her family, and who also served as a caregiver for her own family members.
What Makes Us Different
What Makes Us Different
What Makes Us Different
Many organizations provide information, referrals, and emotional support for dementia caregivers, and these services matter.
The Bertie Fund complements that landscape by providing something caregivers consistently need but rarely receive: direct financial relief at the moments caregiving demands become unsustainable.
We also focus specifically on the families the system leaves out, including those in the middle income gap and those in communities where dementia is often identified later, reducing the time families have to prepare for what lies ahead.
Early identification, caregiver preparation, and financial relief are not separate services to us. They are one continuous response to one continuous need.
Many organizations provide information, referrals, and emotional support for dementia caregivers, and these services matter.
The Bertie Fund complements that landscape by providing something caregivers consistently need but rarely receive: direct financial relief at the moments caregiving demands become unsustainable.
We also focus specifically on the families the system leaves out, including those in the middle income gap and those in communities where dementia is often identified later, reducing the time families have to prepare for what lies ahead.
Early identification, caregiver preparation, and financial relief are not separate services to us. They are one continuous response to one continuous need.
Many organizations provide information, referrals, and emotional support for dementia caregivers, and these services matter.
The Bertie Fund complements that landscape by providing something caregivers consistently need but rarely receive: direct financial relief at the moments caregiving demands become unsustainable.
We also focus specifically on the families the system leaves out, including those in the middle income gap and those in communities where dementia is often identified later, reducing the time families have to prepare for what lies ahead.
Early identification, caregiver preparation, and financial relief are not separate services to us. They are one continuous response to one continuous need.
Our Core Values
Our Core Values
Our Core Values
Care & Dignity
Care & Dignity
Care & Dignity
01
We show up for caregivers the way they show up for the people they love: thoughtfully, personally, and without judgment.
Every person who comes to us carries a situation that is entirely their own, and we take that seriously.
Our programs are people-centered, designed to provide real support with compassion and respect at every interaction.
We show up for caregivers the way they show up for the people they love: thoughtfully, personally, and without judgment.
Every person who comes to us carries a situation that is entirely their own, and we take that seriously.
Our programs are people-centered, designed to provide real support with compassion and respect at every interaction.
We show up for caregivers the way they show up for the people they love: thoughtfully, personally, and without judgment.
Every person who comes to us carries a situation that is entirely their own, and we take that seriously.
Our programs are people-centered, designed to provide real support with compassion and respect at every interaction.
Meaningful Impact
Meaningful
Impact
Meaningful Impact
02
We are here to make a real difference in people's lives. We measure our work because we want to know it's working. When a caregiver leaves us more stable than they arrived, that is the standard we hold ourselves to.
We are here to make a real difference in people's lives. We measure our work because we want to know it's working. When a caregiver leaves us more stable than they arrived, that is the standard we hold ourselves to.
We are here to make a real difference in people's lives.
We measure our work because we want to know it's working. When a caregiver leaves us more stable than they arrived, that is the standard we hold ourselves to.
Equity
Equity
Equity
03
Dementia affects some communities more heavily than others, and access to diagnosis, information, and support is not experienced equally.
We serve everyone who qualifies, and we are intentional about reaching those who face the greatest barriers, carry the heaviest burden, and have been most overlooked by existing systems.
As an organization rooted in the Black community, we are clear-eyed about the particular challenges Black caregivers face, and unapologetic about centering their needs in how we design and deliver our work.
Dementia affects some communities more heavily than others, and access to diagnosis, information, and support is not experienced equally.
We serve everyone who qualifies, and we are intentional about reaching those who face the greatest barriers, carry the heaviest burden, and have been most overlooked by existing systems.
As an organization rooted in the Black community, we are clear-eyed about the particular challenges Black caregivers face, and unapologetic about centering their needs in how we design and deliver our work.
Dementia affects some communities more heavily than others, and access to diagnosis, information, and support is not experienced equally.
We serve everyone who qualifies, and we are intentional about reaching those who face the greatest barriers, carry the heaviest burden, and have been most overlooked by existing systems.
As an organization rooted in the Black community, we are clear-eyed about the particular challenges Black caregivers face, and unapologetic about centering their needs in how we design and deliver our work.
Our Board
Our Board
Our Board
Shay-La Romney
Founder & Executive Director
Shay-La Romney
Founder & Executive Director
Shay-La Romney
Founder & Executive Director
Wylia Sims
Board Chair
Wylia Sims
Board Chair
Wylia Sims
Board Chair
Omar Karim
Treasurer
Omar Karim
Treasurer
Omar Karim
Treasurer
Leticia Howard
Secretary
Leticia Howard
Secretary
Leticia Howard
Secretary
Help Support our Work. Donate today
Help Support our Work. Donate today
Help Support
our Work.
Donate today.
Your support helps The Bertie Fund build a stronger safety net for dementia caregivers. One that recognizes families earlier, helps them prepare, and provides financial relief when they need it most.
Every contribution helps us move from a system that asks families to cope alone toward one that helps them prepare and stay stable.
Stay connected
Stay connected
See what we’re doing in the community, and how you can be part of it.
See what we’re doing in the community, and how you can be part of it.
Stay connected
See what we’re doing in the community, and how you can be part of it.
