Columbia Basin Trust is providing $700,000 to fund additional space at JoeAnna’s House in Kelowna.
JoeAnna’s House offers affordable, accessible accommodation near Kelowna General Hospital for patients, caregivers and family members.
Many people in the Columbia Basin must travel to Kelowna for specialized medical care, often for extended stays.
To help ease the cost and stress of travel, Columbia Basin Trust is funding an expansion of JoeAnna’s House in partnership with the Kelowna General Hospital Foundation.
The trust is contributing $700,000 toward a 6,000-square-foot expansion, increasing capacity from 20 to 30 rooms. The project is expected to be completed by August 2026.
Darlene Haslock, director of JoeAnna’s House, said the expansion will help reduce wait-lists and allow hundreds more families each year to stay close to loved ones receiving care at Kelowna General Hospital.
“Columbia Basin Trust’s leadership gift is a powerful demonstration of what it means to show up for families in moments that matter most. This expansion means fewer families will be turned away and more people traveling from communities in the Columbia Basin will have a safe, supportive place to stay while their loved ones receive treatment. We’re deeply grateful for their generosity and commitment to easing the burden of medical travel,” said Haslock.
JoeAnna’s House has been in high demand since opening in 2019, with long wait-lists and more than 1,600 families turned away. Basin residents account for more than 40 per cent of annual guests at JoeAnna’s House.
Johnny Strilaeff, president and CEO of Columbia Basin Trust, said the organization can support initiatives that help ease challenges for families facing complex medical situations.
“Accessing specialized care often means long distances, long stays and added costs for Basin families. While the Trust doesn’t have a mandate to financially support primary or acute care, we can look for practical ways to reduce the burden medical travel places on our residents. Supporting JoeAnna’s House is a meaningful way to help families stay close to their loved ones during an already difficult time,” said Strilaeff.
This one-time investment is expected to help reduce the financial and emotional strain of medical travel for Basin residents and support families during challenging times.
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