Hospitality House

Faith & Hope Hospitality House provides discounted lodging and meals for patients traveling to Alpena to receive medical treatment. Patients, their caregiver/driver, and out-of-town family members may apply for service anytime there is a scheduled physician appointment, consultation, treatment, test, therapy, in-patient, out-patient or other medical appointment made in a physician’s office or at Alpena Regional Medical Center. Services are provided through local motels and restaurants. Applications require authorization by medical personnel to certify the scheduled medical appointment. Applications are available in any Alpena Regional Medical Center department . Patients in financial need may apply for reimbursement assistance prior to their stay by calling the Faith & Hope Hospitality House office at 989 356-7314.

The Hospitality House is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization whose mission is to provide a “home away from home” for patients and their families who receive medical treatment in the Alpena area. Since 2003, the hospitality house has provided over 5,000 lodging nights to patients and families from all over Michigan and from 13 states. The goal of its board of director’s is to build a house: a facility that provides lodging and home-like services in a hospitality house setting. Donations are always accepted

Hospitality Houses are known as homes that help & heal by the National Association of Hospital Hospitality Houses. They include many types of houses: special houses serving one specific type of illness such as cancer (Hope Lodge, Grand Rapids, MI), in-hospital hospitality rooms, Ronald McDonald Houses serving children and their immediate family and hospitality houses like Faith & Hope Hospitality House that serves anyone receiving medical treatment.

They provide a specially-considered environment that give priority to spatial relationships, safety, comfort, quiet, convenience, accessibility – all designed for the patient’s need for comfort and healing. The Hospitality House staff understand the medical/support relationship to the home’s healing environment. Many times patient and family residents develop special relationships becoming close extended family members as a result of the House’s unique experiences.

The Faith & Hope Hospitality House formed in 2001 when area churches became concerned about families traveling to support patients hospitalized at Alpena General Hospital. They funded family stays and continued to meet about their concerns for patients traveling great distances in our rural north to receive medical care. The formal committee that followed formed a not for profit, 501(C)(3) organization becoming the “Faith & Hope Hospitality House.”

Our future Home is not just lodging service – lodging is just one component of homes that help and heal. Hospitality Houses focus on the patient and their environment as a place for healing by making home-like amenities available and providing a network of support services. Bringing patients and patient families together brings their unique experiences, therapeutic encouragement and self-support. Taking special care of a patient’s family relieves the emotional burden on a patient allowing the patient to concentrate on their medical needs and their healing. The patient’s family stays together during the patient’s course of medical treatment.

2008 Board of Directors and Principles

President - Charles H. Sherwin, R.N., B.S.N., M.S., C.P.H.Q.

Vice President  - Myra Cross

Secretary - Theresa Stoppa

Treasurer - Marie Williams, B.A., CPA

Kurt Brunner

Sandy Garant

Douglas M. Kreis, BS, RT (R) (T)

Mike O’Brien, B.S., C.H.H.M.

Mary Lappan, B.A., M.A.

Judy A. McFalda, M.A., Juris Docturate

Tracy L. Niedzwiecki, A.A.

John Schultz, R.R.T.

Executive Director - Catherine A. Glomski, A.S., B.A.

Patients and families that need financial assistance

Patients and families that need financial assistance for lodging may apply for a reimbursement subsidy. Prior approval is required and must be approved by the Hospitality House office: 1) prior to staying and 2) before any monetary assistance is awarded. Prior approval may be made by contacting the Hospitality House office at 989 356-7314.

Subsidies are granted on a case by case basis and to those in need. The Hospitality House makes awards available through the generous contributions of concerned individuals, businesses, church groups, service clubs, organizations and other users of the hospitality house.