Transplant House

TO PROVIDE TEMPORARY, AFFORDABLE LODGING TO THOSE WHO TRAVEL TO PHILADELPHIA, PA FOR TRANSPLANT CARE.

TRANSPLANT HOUSE, D/B/A GIFT OF LIFE FAMILY HOUSE (AS OF SEPTEMBER 2022 REFERRED TO AS GIFT OF LIFE HOWIE'S HOUSE), IS A TAX-EXEMPT PENNSYLVANIA NONPROFIT CORPORATION FORMED IN SEPTEMBER 2008 FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING TEMPORARY LODGING AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO ADULT AND PEDIATRIC TRANSPLANT PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS WHO TRAVEL TO PHILADELPHIA FOR THEIR LIFESAVING AND LIFE-ENHANCING TRANSPLANT TREATMENT. IT ALSO PROVIDES COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING IN SUPPORT OF THE ENTIRE GIFT OF LIFE REGION THROUGH ITS CAREGIVER LIFELINE PROGRAM.CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O.GIFT OF LIFE FAMILY HOUSE IS AFFILIATED WITH TWO OTHER PENNSYLVANIA NONPROFIT CORPORATIONS, BOTH OF WHICH HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED AS TAX-EXEMPT UNDER SECTION 501(A) BY REASON OF BEING DESCRIBED IN SECTION 501(C) (3) OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE: GREATER DELAWARE VALLEY SOCIETY OF TRANSPLANT SURGEONS, OPERATING UNDER THE NAME GIFT OF LIFE DONOR PROGRAM, AND TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION. GIFT OF LIFE DONOR PROGRAM (GIFT OF LIFE) WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1974 TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF RECOVERING AND SHARING KIDNEYS TO ITS CONSTITUENTS IN THE TRI-STATE AREA COMPRISED OF THE EASTERN HALF OF PENNSYLVANIA, SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY, AND THE ENTIRE STATE OF DELAWARE. DURING THE PAST THREE DECADES, GIFT OF LIFE EXPANDED ITS SERVICES TO SUPPORT THE DONATION OF ALL ORGANS AND TISSUE. SINCE 1974, GIFT OF LIFE HAS COORDINATED MORE THAN 55,000 LIFE-SAVING ORGANS FOR TRANSPLANT, AND MORE THAN 2 MILLION TISSUE TRANSPLANTS HAVE RESULTED FROM THE GENEROSITY OF DONORS AND THEIR FAMILIES. IN 1998, GIFT OF LIFE'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS ESTABLISHED TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION AS THE CHARITABLE ARM TO SUPPORT ITS PROGRAMS THROUGH EDUCATION, RESEARCH, SERVICES TO DONOR FAMILIES AND RECIPIENTS AND AS A STEWARD FOR BROADER COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES REGARDING ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION. ONE INITIATIVE IDENTIFIED AT THE TIME OF INCORPORATION WAS THE CREATION OF A RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE TYPE OF PROGRAM TO SERVE THE FAMILIES OF PATIENTS AWAITING TRANSPLANTS AND RECEIVING FOLLOW-UP CARE IN THE PHILADELPHIA REGION. BOTH GIFT OF LIFE DONOR PROGRAM AND TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION BOARDS APPROVED MOVING FORWARD WITH THE PURCHASE OF PROPERTY AT 401-415 CALLOWHILL IN JUNE 2007 FOR THE FUTURE SITE OF GIFT OF LIFE FAMILY HOUSE. FUNDS FOR THE LAND PURCHASE WERE PROVIDED BY A GRANT FROM TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION. CONSTRUCTION OF GIFT OF LIFE FAMILY HOUSE COMMENCED IN THE FALL OF 2009 AND ITS DOORS OFFICIALLY OPENED TO TRANSPLANT PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN JULY 2011. FAMILY HOUSE FEATURES THIRTY-TWO (32) GUEST ROOMS, SERVING UP TO FOUR FAMILY MEMBERS PER ROOM, AND PROVIDES A PLACE WHERE FAMILIES UNDERGOING SIMILAR EXPERIENCES CAN SHARE TIME TOGETHER WHILE THEIR LOVED ONES ARE AWAITING OR UNDERGOING THEIR LIFE-SAVING TRANSPLANT. A LARGE COMMUNAL KITCHEN AND DINING ROOM ALLOW FAMILIES TO INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER AND FIND THE SUPPORT AND STRENGTH THEY NEED TO HELP THEM NAVIGATE THIS EXTREMELY CHALLENGING SITUATION. ADDITIONAL FAMILY HOUSE SERVICES INCLUDE SHUTTLE TRANSPORTATION TO/FROM THE HOSPITALS, SECURE PARKING, LAUNDRY FACILITIES, AN INDOOR ACTIVITY CENTER, FITNESS CENTER, WIRELESS COMPUTER/INTERNET ACCESS AND LIBRARY AND LEARNING RESOURCES. NO MEDICAL SERVICES ARE PROVIDED AT GIFT OF LIFE FAMILY HOUSE; IT IS INTENDED TO BE A COMFORTABLE AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR FAMILY MEMBERS. GIFT OF LIFE FAMILY HOUSE PRIMARILY SERVES OUT-OF-TOWN FAMILIES LIVING MORE THAN 25 MILES AWAY WITH A FAMILY MEMBER WHO IS A PATIENT AWAITING A TRANSPLANT OR RECEIVING FOLLOW-UP CARE AT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING PHILADELPHIA-AREA TRANSPLANT CENTERS: -ALBERT EINSTEIN MEDICAL CENTER -CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA-LANKENAU MEDICAL CENTER -ST. CHRISTOPHER'S HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN-TEMPLE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL -THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL-UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA HEALTH SYSTEM PROGRAM STATISTICS FOR 2021: IN 2021, FAMILY HOUSE PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING SUPPORT: -6,172 LODGING NIGHTS OF CARE TO 1,273 UNIQUE FAMILIES -2,542 HOURS OF SUPPORT FROM IN-HOUSE VOLUNTEERS -708 TRIPS TO AND FROM AREA HOSPITALS -19,500 MEALS TO FAMILIES THROUGH THE HOME COOK HEROES PROGRAM -296 HOURS OF DIRECT COUNSELING TO TRANSPLANT CAREGIVERS AND PATIENTSPOPULATION SERVED: FAMILY HOUSE HOSTS SOLID ORGAN TRANSPLANT CANDIDATES, RECIPIENTS, LIVING DONORS, AND THEIR FAMILIES WHO LIVE AT LEAST 25 MILES AWAY FROM THE FACILITY. MANY GUESTS RESIDE IN COUNTIES LOCATED IN PA, NJ, DE, AND EVEN NY, BUT OTHERS HAVE TRAVELED FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND EVEN INTERNATIONALLY, TO RECEIVE TRANSPLANT CARE IN PHILADELPHIA.TRANSPLANT HOUSE IMPLEMENTED SIGNIFICANT POLICY AND PROCEDURAL CHANGES IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN 2020 AND CONTINUED THEM IN 2021. ENHANCED INFECTION CONTROL POLICIES WERE IMPLEMENTED FOR ON-SITE STAFF MEMBERS AND FAMILY HOUSE GUESTS, INCLUDING A REDUCTION IN MAX OCCUPANCY AND MODIFIED DINING OPTIONS. AS A RESULT OF THESE STEPS, TRANSPLANT HOUSE MAINTAINED OPERATIONS AND CONTINUES TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE LODGING AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO TRANSPLANT PATIENTS AND FAMILIES SEEKING CARE IN THE PHILADELPHIA AREA.PROGRAMS: CAREGIVER LIFELINE PROGRAM THE TRANSPLANT JOURNEY CAN BE AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AND OVERWHELMING PROCESS INCLUDING MEDICAL AND TRAVEL EXPENSES DURING AN ALREADY LONG PERIOD OF DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, AND WAITING FOR 'THE CALL'. CAREGIVER LIFELINE PROGRAM WAS FORMED TO PROVIDE THESE FAMILIES WITH MUCH NEEDED EDUCATION AND SUPPORT AS THEY NAVIGATE THROUGH THE TRANSPLANT PROCESS. CAREGIVER LIFELINE PROGRAM IS BROKEN IN TWO PARTS: INTERNAL SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES STAYING AT GIFT OF LIFE FAMILY HOUSE AND EXTERNAL SUPPORT FOR CAREGIVERS AND TRANSPLANT PATIENTS THROUGHOUT GIFT OF LIFE'S REGION AND BEYOND. INTERNALLY, A FULL-TIME SOCIAL WORK TEAM IS AVAILABLE ON-SITE FOR INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING, SUPPORT GROUPS, RESOURCES, REFERRALS AND ADVOCACY FOR FINANCIAL, EMPLOYMENT AND INSURANCE CONCERNS. EXTERNALLY, THIS PROGRAM OFFERS AN ONLINE INFORMATIONAL LIBRARY ADDRESSING THE ABOVE CONCERNS, EDUCATIONAL WEBINARS ON TRANSPLANT TOPICS, VARIOUS VIRTUAL AND ONLINE SUPPORT GROUPS FOR TRANSPLANT PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS THROUGH THE REGIONAL TRANSPLANT HOSPITALS AND REGIONAL SUPPORT GROUPS. IN 2021, FAMILY HOUSE'S SOCIAL WORK TEAM PROVIDED 296 HOURS OF COUNSELING TO 231 UNIQUE FAMILIES STAYING AT FAMILY HOUSE. VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING CONTINUED IN 2021 WHICH INCLUDED 14 WEBINARS WITH OVER 1,500 PARTICIPANTS IN ATTENDANCE AND 54 VIRTUAL SUPPORT GROUPS WITH 363 PARTICIPANTS. PARTICIPANTS SPANNED GIFT OF LIFE'S REGION, NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. FAMILY HOUSE'S SOCIAL WORK TEAM CONTINUED TO MANAGE THE PROGRAM'S CLOSED ONLINE TRANSPLANT CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP THROUGH FACEBOOK AND ENDED THE YEAR WITH NEARLY 300 TRANSPLANT CAREGIVER MEMBERS AND OVER 1,000 INTERACTIONS.LASTLY, IN 2021, THE SOCIAL WORK TEAM THROUGH THE CAREGIVER LIFELINE PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDED RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS FOR TRANSPLANT PROFESSIONALS. THE TEAM PRESENTED AT TWO NATIONAL TRANSPLANT CONFERENCES WITH OVER 350 PROFESSIONALS WITH LOCAL AND NATIONAL AUDIENCES. ADDITIONALLY, THE SOCIAL WORK TEAM HOSTED 5 CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS WITH 471 TRANSPLANT SOCIAL WORK PARTICIPANTS. HOME COOK HEROES PROGRAM THE HOME COOK HEROES PROGRAM AT GIFT OF LIFE FAMILY HOUSE PROVIDES TRANSPLANT PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES WITH A HOME-COOKED MEAL PREPARED AND SERVED BY VOLUNTEERS, AND ACCESS TO A FULL-SERVICE KITCHEN AND DINING ROOM, AND FULLY STOCKED PANTRY. GUESTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO EAT TOGETHER IN OUR DINING ROOM TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES. GUESTS CAN ALSO USE OUR RESOURCES TO PREPARE THEIR OWN MEALS OR GRAB A SNACK ON THEIR WAY TO THE HOSPITAL. DESPITE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, FAMILY HOUSE REMAINS OPEN AND CONTINUES SERVING FAMILIES. THE HOME COOK HEROES PROGRAM ALSO REMAINS OPERATIONAL, HOWEVER, DURING 2021 THERE WAS A PAUSE IN THE IN-PERSON VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES TO ENSURE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF GUESTS AND STAFF. WHILE VOLUNTEERS CONTINUED TO SUPPORT THE HOME COOK HEROES PROGRAM BY DONATING MEALS, FUNDS, GIFT CARDS, AND ARRANGING FOR CATERING, THE STAFF RESOURCES WERE REDIRECTED TO PREPARING AND COORDINATING THESE MEALS. IN 2021, FAMILY HOUSE PROVIDED 19,500 MEALS TO TRANSPLANT FAMILIES.