Imagine your loved one is in the Intensive Care Unit or the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit or maybe is receiving daily chemo treatments, 80 miles away, and cannot go home…
Now imagine you want to stay with them, to support them and comfort them, but you do not have the means to pay for a hotel or there are none available…
Families in Northeast North Dakota and Northwest Minnesota are suffering while making decisions.
Can I afford a hotel room or should I sleep in my car?
Can I afford to drive back and forth (up to 100 miles one way)?
Can I afford to miss work?
Can I afford to take my kids with me?
“Without a hospitality home we would have had to get a loan to help pay for accommodations and food, which all add up after time.” – Joanne Barstad
Grand Forks currently does not have a children’s hospital and due to regional regulations, likely never will. Therefore, Grand Forks isn’t a proper fit for a Ronald McDonald House. The American Cancer Society has Hope Lodges, however Grand Forks doesn’t host one of these because our Cancer Center’s patient volume would only meet this need and would not address the many other needs of this type of facility.
This project will become a home away from home available to all ages and illnesses, to be used by patients and their family members who must travel to fulfill their healthcare needs. A hospitality house provides individuals with a place to sleep, eat, keep their belongings, relax, and find comfort while working hard to overcome illness.