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For hospital patients and their caregivers, it’s a haven away from home

Published: April 17, 2018

In Illinois, Quincy Hospitality House offers a comfortable bed, a hot shower and an ‘escape from the stress’

“Thank you so much for making our crisis easier to bear.”

“I never dreamed we’d have a need for this wonderful home away from home.”

“This room saved my sanity.”

A hospital stay is no one’s idea of fun. It’s even more unsettling when it happens far away from home.

But for hundreds of people who pass through the halls of Blessing Hospital in Quincy, Illinois each year, the Quincy Hospitality House offers a much-needed slice of home.

“Having that support system around your family, when somebody is in need, is a big, big deal,” says Becky Albert, the coordinator for Quincy Hospitality House. “I’ve seen what it can do, and how much it helps.”

Since 1998, Quincy Hospitality House has provided temporary lodging for patients and their loved ones as they seek medical care in the Quincy area.

In 2017, the facility provided 676 beds to visitors at a nominal fee—and offered lodging grants to those unable to pay the fee. Visitors are invited to use:

  • A shared kitchen, with stocked fridge, microwave and toaster;
  • Snack baskets for meals on the go;
  • A common living room;
  • Shampoo, toothpaste and other toiletries for those who left home in a hurry;
  • Bed linens, towels and laundry facilities; and
  • A guest computer with wireless internet.

“It’s a comfortable bed, a hot shower, a private conversation, and an escape from the stress. That’s what the Quincy Hospitality House really is,” says Albert.

Enbridge is committed to strengthening the social fabric in communities where we operate. In 2017, we distributed more than $200,000 in grants to Illinois non-profits as part of our investment in the state, and we recently made a $2,000 donation to Quincy Hospitality House to sponsor its annual Corn Hole fundraising tournament.

Quincy Hospitality House is operated by a network of 134 volunteers who staff the facility seven days a week, including holidays—and who truly provide the heartbeat of this home away from home.

“Our volunteers make the visitors feel comfortable. They make them feel at home. They can give advice on where to buy some clothes or go out to dinner,” she says.

“Our volunteers also know what these people are going through. Sometimes, they’ll chit-chat . . . and sometimes, they’ll just listen.”

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