Kathy's House

We have a limited number of reserved parking passes for the WaterStone Bank Air & Water Show available for $25/each on a first come first served basis. Passes are available for purchase at Kathy’s House, 9100 West Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, Thursday and Friday July 25th and 26th, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

We are delighted to share that Kathy’s House is the 2024 beneficiary of the WaterStone Bank Air & Water Show Tent Giveaway! Through this generous gift, we are offering tickets to a VIP experience for this beloved Milwaukee tradition. Better yet – every dollar raised benefits the patients and caregivers who find a “home away from home” at Kathy’s House during medical care. Tickets are limited and include reserved parking, covered seating, private restrooms, and a catered lunch buffet. Don’t wait to experience the Air & Water Show like never before!
https://kathyshouse.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/kathyshouse/event.jsp?event=172

The results are in! Target Circle voting helped us receive a share of Target’s donation. Take a look: https://www.target.com/circle/community-voting/results

In honor of , Kathy’s House is hosting our second annual blood drive on Monday, July 22. Register to give at: https://donate.wisconsin.versiti.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/263925

Patients at Milwaukee Regional Medical Center Campus rely on the generosity of blood donors from our community. Blood donations are critical for trauma patients, surgeries, cancer treatments, premature babies, and those with chronic illnesses like sickle cell disease.

Last summer, Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin faced a critical shortage of blood donations in our area and had to go on a blood appeal. With local hospitals relying on a safe and steady supply, we are aiming to collect as much blood as possible this season for patients in need.

Healthcare Hospitality Homes like Kathy's House are dedicated to making healthcare more accessible by reducing expenses and easing burdens for patients and caregivers, so they can afford other necessities. During , we are celebrating the 100+ Hospitality Houses across the nation that are helping patients and families by providing them with affordable lodging during medical treatment.

🛩 Just announced: We’ll be raffling off a 45-minute ride in an aerobatic airplane at the WaterStone Bank Air & Water Show on July 28th!

Soar like never before with a 45-minute ride in an Extra 330 LX Aerobatic Plane. This two-seat, tandem arrangement, low-wing aerobatic monoplane with conventional (taildragger) landing gear, offers exceptional aerobatic performance.

You and a companion will then enjoy a night nearby at Hotel Baker, "the Crown Jewel of the Fox," in historic St. Charles, Illinois using a $250 gift card.

Tickets can be purchased at the event with cash, check or through the GiveSmart app on your phone.

Click the link below and register to join us for a VIP Experience at this Milwaukee institution! Enjoy the spectacle with the comforts of covered seating, private restrooms, reserved parking, and a catered lunch. Even better, every dollar raised will benefit our mission at Kathy's House.
🎟 Tickets: https://kathyshouse.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/kathyshouse/event.jsp?event=172

Kathy's House is proud to offer comfort and support to patients and caregivers when it's most needed. By easing anxiety and worry, we aim to help you focus on what truly matters—your well-being.

Thank you to Healthcare Hospitality Network (HHN) for taking time to celebrate team members throughout the country.

Hired as a Guest Services Specialist, Kayla was quickly promoted to manager as she exhibits a rare combination of organizational aptitude, analytical skills and a genuine care and concern for guests.

Kayla makes guests feel heard and understood. Her unflappably calm, smiling demeanor welcomes guests their “home away from home” at Kathy’s House and makes positive experiences out of challenging circumstances. Through her diligence and attention to detail, Kathy’s House continues to serve a record number of guests while maintaining admirably high standards for cleanliness, accessibility, and care. She is constantly in search of improvement, educating staff about fresh ideas from the HHN conference she attended and collaborating on new communication, fundraising, recognition, and technological solutions. ~ Kathy's House

“You can judge a place by its piano,” jokes Mike Pankratz, who can’t say enough good things about the one at Kathy’s House. He’s been playing up a storm since arriving at Kathy’s House just over a month ago. His wife Sue has been receiving care for acute myeloid leukemia at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, and Mike said he needed to be ready to serenade her upon discharge.

That discharge happened a few weeks ago, when the couple were able to move to one of our two-room suites during the outpatient portion of Sue’s care. Although she is beyond the usual recommended age for a stem cell transplant, the treatment was recommended because boxing, dancing and exercise classes have kept her in excellent physical health.

Mike says that since he’s been at Kathy’s House, he has been “spoiled rotten.” He’s grateful for the proximity to the hospital and the welcoming community, which Sue says is “like family.” And just this week, Sue received exciting news. Her first biopsy since the transplant showed positive results, and the couple hopes to head home to Green Bay any day.

All in a day’s work! Construction around the campus means additional barriers abound – including many orange cones. Guest Services Manager Kayla and President & CEO Kim can now list “Retrieving construction cones stuck under cars” as skills gained at Kathy’s House. Car owner and guest Michelle was so appreciative of the help that she brought in bundt cakes for the staff as a token of her gratitude.

Happy from our home to yours!

Place names like Denmark and Luxemburg may bring European destinations to mind. For the Deterville family, however, these are the names of their Wisconsin hometowns, just about 2 hours from Milwaukee.

Mom Denise (of Denmark) accompanied her son Adam (of Luxemburg) to Kathy’s House for about 6 weeks as he underwent a clinical trial for leukemia at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin. They can’t say enough good things about their experience, including the care of the staff, security, and comfort. They are grateful for the laundry room and the shuttle, as they have no vehicle here. They are also grateful for the financial accessibility. “It helps with low income. You don’t have to worry about having a bunch of money to stay,” says Adam. “I don’t know where we would stay” if not for Kathy’s House.

We are grateful to the many supporters who allow families like the Detervilles to experience the comfort and care of our “home away from home.” It is because of you that families in need of medical care can access it.

Bag lunches make for great grab-and-go mid-day fare for guests spending long days at the hospital. That’s why we are incredibly grateful for groups like the Kiwanis North Shore MKE, which prepare bag lunches for our guests. This fun and rewarding activity is one of many open to groups. To learn more, check out our website: https://kathys-house.org/help/volunteer/.

“Forty-two years, and this is the first I haven’t hunted,” laments Kevin Merckx. This past year, the Kimberly, Wisconsin resident was occupied with his fight against cancer. His battle brought him to Milwaukee, where he stayed at Kathy’s House for a month while receiving CAR-T therapy at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin. His wife Barb served as his caregiver.

The couple made the most of their time in the area, visiting with local relatives and even going to a farm for fresh strawberries. Milwaukee is about two weeks ahead of back home. They were grateful for the relationships they formed and for the meals prepared by different community organizations.

But they agreed that the biggest benefit of their stay at Kathy’s House was that it made their stay in Milwaukee affordable. “I couldn’t imagine going to a motel for 32 days and paying whatever a motel costs and then having to go out to eat every night because you don’t have the amenities,” Kevin said. “It would be an ungodly amount.”

🚨There's still time to purchase tickets to join us for a VIP Experience at the WaterStone Bank Air & Water Show on July 28th! Enjoy the spectacle with the comforts of covered seating, private restrooms, reserved parking, and a catered lunch. Even better, every dollar raised will benefit our mission at Kathy's House.

🎟 Tickets: https://kathyshouse.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/kathyshouse/event.jsp?event=172

We are delighted to share that Kathy’s House is the 2024 beneficiary of the WaterStone Bank Air & Water Show Tent Giveaway! Through this generous gift, we are offering tickets to a VIP experience for this beloved Milwaukee tradition. Better yet – every dollar raised benefits the patients and caregivers who find a “home away from home” at Kathy’s House during medical care. Tickets are limited and include reserved parking, covered seating, private restrooms, and a catered lunch buffet. Don’t wait to experience the Air & Water Show like never before!
https://kathyshouse.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/kathyshouse/event.jsp?event=172

Caregivers and guests Armen & Irina Naircee were generous enough to think of others in the house, paying forward the generosity by donating paper goods and snacks. They said they would continue to do so. We are always inspired when guests choose to give back. Thank you, Armen & Irina.

Our crew celebrated the fourth a little bit early, thanks to Volunteer Extraordinaire Lorraine! She recruited team members and canine crewmember Lady (dressed as Paul Revere) for an unforgettable indoor parade at St. Camillus. We are always honored to be a part of festivities in the community where we reside. Happy 4th!

We are delighted to share that Kathy’s House is the 2024 beneficiary of the WaterStone Bank Air & Water Show Tent Giveaway! Through this generous gift, we are offering tickets to a VIP experience for this beloved Milwaukee tradition. Better yet – every dollar raised benefits the patients and caregivers who find a “home away from home” at Kathy’s House during medical care. Tickets are limited and include reserved parking, covered seating, private restrooms, and a catered lunch buffet. Don’t wait to experience the Air & Water Show like never before!
https://kathyshouse.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/kathyshouse/event.jsp?event=172

Today marks 23 years since Kathy’s House opened its doors. Over the past 2+ decades, we have served 26,880 guests with affordable lodging during a medical crisis. We are grateful to everyone who contributed to developing our “home away from home” and our vision for becoming a national model for hospital guest housing. In that spirit, we are delighted to announce that we have been selected as one of four regional hosts for the 2024 Healthcare Hospitality Network (HHN) Conference. This annual gathering of professionals in the healthcare hospitality space is a much-anticipated event focused on best practices, networking, and advocacy for the important work of hospital guest houses. We look forward to sharing more details soon.

🎉 The moment we've all been waiting for is finally here! 🎉

We are thrilled to announce that the 2024 National Healthcare Hospitality Conference will take place on October 9, 2024!

This exciting hybrid event will feature a national virtual meeting alongside four (4) regional in-person gatherings hosted by HHN member houses. Join us at:

🌟 Brent’s Place in Aurora, CO

🌟 Family House in San Francisco, CA

🌟 Kathy’s House in Milwaukee, WI

🌟 Hospitality House of Charlotte in Charlotte, NC

Stay tuned for more details and get ready to connect, learn, and grow together! 🌟

At Kathy's House we are committed to providing healthcare access for all patients and families. Our Family Program for Patients and Caregivers helps to offset the costs of lodging to support families who face severe financial hardship. We are grateful to The Catholic Community Foundation for their ongoing and generous support of this impactful program. Thank you! http://thecatholiccommunityfoundation.org/

Please join us in welcoming Guest Services Specialist Megan! Megan joined our team at the end of May. She transitioned to nonprofit work after beginning her career in education. She has already shown herself to be a quick learner with strong organizational and customer service skills. We are confident that she will be an asset to the house and a valuable resource for guests.

Have you voted for us through Target Circle? If not, this is the last week! See how you can help direct Target’s giving to benefit our organization and the community. Target.com/circle

Generosity is what often guides donors to our home. Seeking an opportunity to give that she could accomplish from home, this volunteer decided to make welcome bags for our guests. There’s something for everyone who has a heart for our mission. Find your fit on our website: https://kathys-house.org/help/volunteer/

Please join us in thanking outgoing board member Anthony Anzelmo for 9 years of service to Kathy’s House. Since his first two-hour tour in 2015, Anthony has demonstrated a sincere commitment to our mission. A litigator with experience in construction, he was the right person, in the right place at the right time. With both business and legal expertise, Anthony and his colleagues at Husch Blackwell contributed in-kind services that were requisite to opening the new house. We are grateful to Anthony for his many years of service and dedication.

Thank you, CarMax! This team from the Waukesha location (including the daughter of our new President & CEO Kim Lamansky) brought and served dinner for 50+ guests in our home last week – and they’ve already made plans to come back again. We are grateful to the team and to Carmax for the generous donation in support of their employees’ time. We look forward to seeing them again soon!

Father’s Day is the perfect time to recognize our founder and father of our namesake, Dick Vogel. With his wife Judy, Dick opened Kathy’s House just one year after the couple lost their daughter Kathy Vogel Kuettner to Burkitt’s lymphoma. They were inspired by Kathy’s observation while she was in the hospital that many families did not have the support and love around her that she did. Her wish was for a place where families could be together, and the Vogel family made that happen. Because of Dick, thousands of families have had access to the care they need in a crisis – and the support they need not to go through it alone. Although Dick passed away in 2014, his legacy lives on in the incredible home for healing that he built.

It’s the little things. Guest Priscilla noticed a need for fresh kitchen towels in our home, so she made up her mind to donate some. She presented these hand-sewn towels just a few days before checking out. It’s incredible to witness the ways guests take ownership of their “home away from home” and make improvements. Thank you, Priscilla!

When Gloria Hurtado first stayed at Kathy’s House in the fall of 2020, the pandemic had strictly limited guests. This time, she is grateful to be accompanied by her daughter Daisy (serving as a translator for her Spanish-speaking mother) and her now almost four-year-old granddaughter Emilie Elizabeth.

The family home in Marinette is a three-hour drive from Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, where Gloria is receiving treatment for cancer. In addition to appointments, Daisy says, Gloria has made frequent trips to the hospital for pain. It’s important that they be close. “A place like this helps out a lot,” Gloria says. “If this place were not to be here, it would have been tougher to go through this journey,”

“Just allowing people to stay here means not having to worry, for those who don’t have much, what the daily expenses will be like,” Daisy adds.

💙💚

Ten years ago, then-volunteer Marie Grevsmuehl became our first ever Event Planner at our original home on 103rd Street. Through the years, she progressed into the role of Volunteer Coordinator, and now serves as Director of Volunteer Services. She was responsible for our first ever Kathy’s House Classic - our golf outing now in its 11th year - as well as years of Oktoberfests, galas, and more. As Volunteer Coordinator, she single-handedly created a spectacular volunteer program. Our 270+ volunteers now receive a thorough orientation and onboarding process, a monthly newsletter, ongoing education, and regular appreciation, including an annual appreciation event. She also initiated our Canine Crew program, which has grown to include six regular visitors and their handlers, as well as overseeing our interns from Wisconsin Lutheran College. In short, it’s been an incredible decade. We can’t wait to see what this dynamo does next! One thing is for sure: our guests will be better for it. Thank you, Marie!

Learn about how and why Kathy's House is making a difference as part of Milwaukee Magazine's

Give Back to Kathy’s House This Season - Milwaukee Magazine Kathy's House is part of Giveback MKE 2023, which features local organizations that are doing great work in our city – and they need your support.