A $25,000 grant from the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation will provide family members lodging while their loved ones are receiving critical medical care. That is the primary purpose of Hanson House, which opened in 2003 next to Desert Regional Medical Center and Comprehensive Cancer Center. The facility now also provides accommodations for cancer patients while they receive life-extending treatment.
“The Coachella Valley Spotlight grant is a lifeline for our organization and the patients and families we serve,” said Ivonne Moreno, Executive Director of Hanson House. “We are deeply grateful to the Berger Foundation and KESQ for recognizing the need for a ‘home away from home’ for people as they support their loved ones receiving critical care.”
The funding came at a critical time for the nonprofit as it faced the need to replace 24 air conditioning units that were at the end of their lifespan. The investment in HVAC infrastructure will not only provide more reliable comfort for clients, but will also improve energy efficiency, which will reduce utility expenses, a vital consideration for an organization reliant on community support.
A significant portion of the grant will be allocated to defray the cost of 350 room nights for parents whose newborns are in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, families of patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and cancer patients receiving treatments. Hanson House requests a nominal room charge of $35-$70 per night, which is significantly lower than a hotel room in the area. With an average stay of 10 days at Hanson House, this portion of the award will directly benefit more than 35 families.
“We know Hanson House is supporting families in a most dire and stressful time, and we are proud to support the organization’s mission of not turning away anyone because of an inability to pay,” said Catharine Reed, Vice President of Charitable Programs for the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation.
Each year, Hanson House welcomes more than 300 families from the greater Coachella Valley and surrounding regions with more than 4,000 room nights of housing while family members are hospitalized. A pantry of donated food combined with caring volunteers help make guests feel comfortable so they can focus on their health or that of a loved one.
“It’s important to show our community how Hanson House eases emotional strain that can be heightened by unexpected financial burden associated with medical emergencies,” said Jerry Upham, General Manager of Gulf California Broadcast Company, which owns and operates KESQ News Channel 3 and KPSP CBS Local 2.
Hanson House was featured on News Channel 3’s “Eye on the Desert,” in public service announcements and on kesq.com throughout the month of September. To learn more about Hanson House, located at 380 Paseo El Mirador, Palm Springs, visit www.hansonhouse.org or call 760-416-5070.