JoeAnna's House is looking to expand to help out even more families in the Okanagan and the 琉璃神社 General Hospital (KGH) Foundation is asking for the public's help.

With a goal of $5.3 million, the money will go towards 10 new rooms to help with the families in need who are on the JoeAnna's House wait list.

Currently with 20 rooms total, the facility helps provides support for families with loved-ones who are receiving care at KGH. 

"It breaks my heart to have to turn away families during their time of need,鈥� said JoeAnna's House director Darlene Haslock. 鈥淢any of them are already facing unimaginable challenges. Add to this having to sleep in cars or hospital hallways, just to stay close to their loved ones.鈥�

As of October 29, 2024, JoeAnna鈥檚 House has welcomed 2,539 families from 308 B.C. Interior cities and towns for 24,317 overnight stays in total. Despite that, there is a constant wait list and they've been unable to accommodate more than 951 homes, according to Haslock.

鈥淪ince JoeAnna鈥檚 House opened five years ago, the population of B.C.鈥檚 Interior has grown tremendously, and we continue to expand vital services at KGH to decrease the number of people who must travel for advanced medical care,鈥� said Allison Young, CEO of the KGH Foundation. 鈥淗ospital beds at KGH have increased from 400 when we opened to 497 today, and with the ongoing growth of our region, we anticipate even further need. While an expansion was always part of our vision for JoeAnna鈥檚 House, the support of our board and donors, alongside the increasing need, gives us the confidence to act now to enhance our capacity and prepare for the future.鈥�

To learn more about the expansion or to donate, visit the JoeAnna's House .

鈥淭he generosity of our community has made JoeAnna鈥檚 House available for thousands of families who truly depend on us,鈥� said Haslock. 鈥淣ow we are appealing to the community to support the expansion project and help accommodate thousands more. Together, we can open our doors wider. Together, we grow."