Froedtert Hospital announced Thursday it plans to contribute $6 million toward the construction of a new 20,000-square foot Kathy’s House.
Kathy’s House is a nonprofit organization that provides housing to hospital patients and their family members who have traveled to Milwaukee to receive treatment.
Froedtert will be the lead investor on the project, which is expected to cost $7 million in total. Kathy’s House announced their intention to build a new facility in November.
“Our support of this next step for Kathy’s House is a natural extension of our 16-year relationship,” said Froedtert Hospital President Cathy Buck. “As an academic medical center and regional referral destination, the Froedtert & the MCW health network draws patients from throughout the state and nation. The availability of an affordable home away from home is a tremendous relief for patients who must travel for care.”
Kathy’s house currently leases a building at the St. Camillus Health Center, a retirement community at 600 N. 103rd St. But its lease ends on June 30, 2021 and St. Camillus, which is undergoing a series of construction and expansion projects, informed Kathy’s House the lease would not be renewed after 2021, according to a statement written by Kathy’s House executive director Patty Metropulos and published in the organization’s November newsletter.
“We are grateful for Froedtert Hospital’s support as we undertake this significant, transformative step for our organization,” Metropulos said in a statement released Thursday. “We envision taking Kathy’s House to the next level, continuing our mission to provide a comforting place for people in a critical time of need and also becoming a national model for hospital guest houses, using best practices to help improve care outcomes and reduce hospital re-admissions.”
Metropulos said Kathy’s House is seeking donations to help pay for the remaining $1 million of the project’s anticipated cost.
A site for the new facility still hasn’t been established, nor has a timeline for construction. Plans for the new building include 24 guest rooms and a special wing for long-term guests.
