Tuesday will be another massive day for the KGH Foundation as Kelowna City Council is expected to give approval for JoeAnna’s House. JoeAnna’s House promises to provide a home away from home for the families of out of town patients who are required to travel to Kelowna General Hospital for advanced medical care. “Fingers crossed, we’ll get the green light and then go to tender in mid-September,” says Allison Ramchuk, Director of Philanthropy for the KGH Foundation. “They’re anticipating about a 14-month buildout so as long as everything goes good with the City, and we can move ahead with construction, the doors will be open by Christmas of 2019.”
Council will also hear a proposal by Interior Health on Tuesday that has to do with the JoeAnna’s House project. The future site of JoeAnna's House(Corner of Royal Ave & Abbott St) currently contains 62 parking stalls. IH is donating that land to the Foundation, and applying to have a separate nearby area(Speer St & Rose Ave) re-zoned to create 100 replacement parking spots.
The KGH Foundation handed down praise today for the Kelowna Foundation's contributions to the construction of JoeAnna's House.
Kelowna Foundation committed their initial financial support of $250,000 for JoeAnna’s House shortly after the $8m campaign was announced on Oct 3, 2017. Then, in early May 2018, the Kelowna Foundation announced that they would match every gift made on the KGH Foundation’s “Day of Giving”, as well as KGH Foundations spring mailer which featured the JoeAnna’s House appeal, dollar for dollar.
“Day of Giving” raised $177,000 and the spring mailer generated $72,275, meaning a total of $249,275 was raised, and matched.
“JoeAnna’s House promises to be a game-changer for families having to travel to Kelowna for medical care. Keeping families together is critical. Being together can be the light of hope in those really dark days. Together, we can change everything for these families,” says Hildebrandt, President of Kelowna Foundation.