Almost Home

Funding Network Grant
Almost Home, Kingston, ON
Interim Report, Grant #TC05-0750
September 18, 2006

Project: ALMOST HOME is the name of a Kingston house in which out-of-town families of hospitalized children and children receiving specialized outpatient care can live in a supportive atmosphere at minimal cost. ALMOST HOME is operated by the Board of Directors of Young Patient’s Family Support Services of Southeastern Ontario Inc. which was incorporated in January of 1991.

Kingston is the site of a Health Sciences Complex that includes a medical school and two tertiary care hospitals. Children with serious, complex, or chronic medical problems, including cancer, severe head injuries, burns, or complications of premature birth are treated in Kingston General Hospital or Hotel Dieu Hospital. Some stay only a few days, but many require months of hospital care. Some children with severe medical conditions can be treated on an outpatient basis. Two-thirds of the children come from outlying areas of southeastern and central Ontario, and from as far away as James Bay.

In 1992, with the proceeds of a major fund-raising campaign, but with no government money, ALMOST HOME volunteers located and purchased a property, made extensive renovations, and furnished and equipped the ten-bedroom house. Affordable accommodation, with facilities for cooking, laundry, showers and parking, was created to meet some of the families’ most immediate needs. The services are available to anyone who requires them. Referral is not necessary.

In the first 13 years of operation, ALMOST HOME has provided accommodation for over 2,571 families whose children were being treated in Kingston hospitals. More than one third of these families returned for subsequent visits. Some families whose children have chronic conditions have stayed at ALMOST HOME many times.

From its inception, the Board resolved that only a nominal fee be charged to parents. To live up to this commitment, expenses are kept to a minimum. Families currently pay $10.00 per night. ALMOST HOME employs the equivalent of three full time paid staff that includes a live-in manager who serves as night manager in return for a rent-free apartment and a minimal salary.

All other tasks are handled by some 90 volunteers, who help to run the house by serving as relief managers, by maintaining the grounds and the building, by assisting with clerical work and fundraising and by sitting on the Board of Directors.

The organization must raise more than $260,000 annually to cover operating costs. This is done largely through an annual appeal to known supporters and former residents, by special events organized by fundraising committees in Kingston and with appeals to foundations and corporations. Local businesses, service clubs, unions and individuals donate funds or “in kind” services.

Each year more and more families from areas such as Toronto, Mississauga, Barrie and London are airlifted to Kingston when the Neo-Natal Care facilities in their home hospital are full. The Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit at the Kingston General Hospital is a Level III hospital so they can accommodate newborns with the most serious problems. ALMOST HOME defines a child as unborn through eighteen years, actual age or developmental age.

In the past two or three years our occupancy rates have increased considerably and to accommodate this increased usage, changes in the house are required. After 13 years of use, we are in the process of renovating and refurbishing individual rooms, many of which require a complete renovation. We have four wheel-chair accessible rooms that need the upgrades the most. The Cataraqui Room is the most used room at ALMOST HOME and offers accommodation to a family of four. It is the largest wheel-chair accessible room with an ensuite washroom. The grant provided by the Funding Network has allowed us to plan a full renovation to this room (bedroom and ensuite washroom).

Status: Washroom renovations are complete and the Interior Designer (Reid & Siemonsen) for the room renovations has been selected and their budget approved. Please find attached the quotes for the proposed work to both the washroom and the bedroom of the Cataraqui Suite.

Completed Work: Replacement and restoration of tile in main bathroom and shower stall.

Scheduled Work: Full renovation of bedroom suite including furniture, chairs, blinds, draperies, painting, bedding and accessories.

Timing: Washroom work is complete. Renovation work to the bedroom area is scheduled for the last week of December 2006 and the first week of January 2007. The work is scheduled at this time in order to take advantage of a short period where the house is closed as such, minimizing disruption to families making use of our services.

Reporting: A final report and supporting material will be submitted to the Funding Network by the end of January, 2007. Financial Statements for 2006/2007 will be provided to the Funding Network when available.

Excess Funds: In the case that a small amount of the Funding Network grant money is available following full payment of invoices related to the renovation of the Cataraqui Room, we would respectfully ask permission that these funds be used for the purchase of equipment required for the upkeep of the house (vacuums etc.).

Further queries or contact: Any questions regarding this report or other matters should be directed to Gwen Chambers, Almost Home Board of Directors (chambers@kincore.com) or Susan Reynolds, President, Almost Home Board of Directors (Susan.Reynolds@investorsgroup.com). Once again, thank you for the support of the Funding Network, Toronto.