When Hosts For Hospitals started placing people in local housing when they came to Philadelphia for medical care, I was eager to help out. Over the years, as my children grew up and moved out and my husband passed away, my large house emptied out. I cannot think of a better use than hosting patients who need a place to stay, sometimes just overnight and sometimes for weeks! An additional plus is that my house is also wheelchair accessible, offering an added advantage to people who might be physically limited. The guests, without exception, have been considerate of my privacy, as I have been of theirs. The organization is also considerate of needs of both hosts and guests, and is available and supportive to both. I can’t think of a better use of my property!
My dad was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer 12 years ago; he died 2 years later. I was lucky enough to find Host for Hospitals and was surprised and relieved at how quickly Mike found a host family for us. It took a couple of hours and we were on our way to staying with hosts we'd never met. The concept floored me: people willing to share their homes and lives with others who, inarguably, were going through very difficult times and--in our case-- the worst thing my mother and I have ever lived through. Ten years on and our former hosts are now life-long friends. Hosts for Hospitals embodies everything I love about American culture and I can say this because I was born and raised in Europe. True charity, without expectation and string attached, is a rare thing. Medical diagnosis comes with many issues and long-term treatment comes with tangential expenses: lodging, food, transportation. Having a home to stay in mitigates not just financial, but emotional stress as well. Being in an unknown city and staying in a hotel can be so expensive, lonely and... depressing. You're not well enough to go sight-seeing so you end up watching mindless tv or staring at the carpet. Host for Hospitals provides a lifeline to everyday life and comforts. You can cook a meal and have the option to share it with your hosts, enjoy a conversation about something other than your illness, share life stories. The hum of everyday life is a backdrop but will, sometimes, blissfully drown out the constant worry you live with and you will forget, albeit for a short time, why you're there. Twelve years on, I'm still in awe of what Host for Hospital does and how selfless all the participants are. I've not found a worthier cause, but will freely admit I am biased. My aunt, who visited from Bulgaria while my dad was in treatment, also would up staying with our hosts and, to this day, she tells the story of how complete strangers can be so generous. At the time, I thought there were a handful of families but I soon found out there were many. Managing expectations and finding suitable hosts is an art akin to matchmaking. I hope Host for Hospitals can go on for as long as people need medical treatment because it lessens the stress associated with it. In my case, our hosts still host us--now, because we're lifetime friends. We've even celebrated holidays together! So, here's to the best of outcomes for the worst of reasons--and Host for Hospitals was instrumental in this match.
We found out about HOSTS for HOSPITALS after our daughter had a life-threatening accident. After a few weeks in ICU at a local hospital, a decision was made to transfer her to The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. We knew we needed to be with her in her time of need and didn't know where we were going to stay once there. We just knew we had to get down to Philly ASAP to be by her side.
We could not believe how quick and easy the process was. Mike responded to our inquiry (almost immediately) and on very short notice our host opened her beautiful home to our family.
We have had to travel to the Philly area many times since then for care and have been very fortunate to have stayed with HOSTS for HOSPITALS on a few occasions. I feel these words can not express enough how truly grateful we are to everyone that is involved with HOSTS for HOSPITALS - staff & host family volunteers alike!
My wife and I have been hosts with Hosts for Hospitals for almost ten years. We have hosted families with babies, toddlers and teens, and adults from various parts of the US, Central America and the Caribbean. In addition to helping individuals and families during stressful times we love being ambassadors for the wonderful city of Philadelphia and its amazing medical facilities.
Sometimes we wonder who is gaining the most from our hosting. Through it we have had the opportunity to meet some amazing people from diverse backgrounds. We have met a NASA engineer, an EMT on the drag racing circuit, and a person from rural Central America who cooks food over a wood fire. The resilience of these families, their knowledge and advocacy for their medical needs is inspirational. Without Hosts for Hospitals we would not have had the privilege of meeting these people.
By sharing our home with someone in need we have gained so much.
When my wife and I first heard about Hosts for Hospitals, we were intrigued. Once we got to know the organization, its leadership, and some of its clients, we knew we wanted to be ongoing supporters. Our son at the time worked for Ronald McDonald House, which provides lodging for family members of children undergoing medical procedures. Hosts for Hospitals provides lodging for adults undergoing outpatient medical procedures as well as for the family members of inpatient individuals. Such family support and comfort is most important in the healing process. The free lodging makes what is always an emotional, frightening, and costly ordeal a bit more manageable. Over the years, we have met wonderful people from across the country and as far away as Ukraine, some of whom we continue to be in touch with. We have been thrilled to have the opportunity to assist, and to provide resources to Hosts for Hospitals itself.
Since 2017 I have been a host for Hosts for Hospitals and it has been an incredibly meaningful and enjoyable experience. I am a widow and these days both my children are living on their own. I absolutely love meeting the wonderful people who stay with me, learning about their lives, and sharing time together. My preference is to host families for at least a week, and I’m delighted to welcome those who stay many weeks. These longer stays allow us to truly connect, and I’ve formed lasting relationships with many of my guests, staying in touch even after their visit ends.
The setup I offer—a stand-alone space above my garage—has made hosting easy and seamless for me. This arrangement was especially helpful during the pandemic, as it allowed me to safely continue providing accommodations to families in need.
I can see how much it means to these families to have a comfortable and supportive place to stay during challenging times, and it’s fulfilling to be part of such a meaningful mission. I wholeheartedly recommend becoming a host—it’s not just a way to give back; it’s an opportunity to enrich your life with incredible connections and stories.
We have had many wonderful experiences housing those who come to the Philadelphia area for treatment. We are still in touch with several families and have even visited them if we find ourselves in their neck of the woods. Most memorable are those young mothers who have babies with spina bifida and undergo intrauterine surgery to repair the opening in the baby's spine. We have walked along side of those families as they usually stay with us for a couple of months. It has been a rewarding experience but it has opened our eyes to the difficulties families have in finding housing when they are so stressed about their health. Hosts for Hospitals provides a life line to handle at least one of the pressing problems.
I want to thank Hosts for Hospitals, Mike Aichenbaum, and my host Kathleen Dykers. In June my husband was transferred to Penn Medicine SICU from Penn Lancaster General Hospital. The first night I tried to sleep in the Surgical ICU. That was almost impossible, with the bells, lights, alarms, nurses and restlessness of my husband. The next day I tried to find an affordable place that I could quickly walk from to U PENN if needed. That was not possible. The places nearby cost thousands for a few days. I could not afford that. Then I picked a place in NJ. More affordable, but longer travel time. Then I found out about Hosts for Hospitals. They were a God send and 1 prayer answered. They were affordable and my host was as welcoming as possible. I cannot thank this program enough for what they do to accommodate those needing affordable housing while someone they love is in the hospital far from home. Thank you EVERYONE who help make Hosts for Hospitals succeed. God bless!
The service Hosts for Hospitals provides to both hospital patients and their visiting families is unequaled. It provides a “ home away from home” during a very stressful and difficult time. It offers physical comfort, emotional support, and financial relief.
It greatly eases the burden of caring for a loved one who is ill and hospitalized.
In 2001, when I was the Associate for Pastoral Care for a large Presbyterian Church outside of Philadelphia, I was introduced to Hosts for Hospitals by its founder Mike Aichenbaum. He asked if I would assist in finding host families in my congregation to provide accommodations for families of out of town patients needing long-term medical procedures. My husband and I were immediately drawn into offering a room and bath in our home for these patient-families from as far away as California and Scandinavia…and as near as North Carolina. Several other parishioners opened their homes as well to patients and/or families dealing with various illnesses during very stressful times. I considered these hosting experiences as an expansion of my pastoral ministry.
Although I have retired and have been away from the Philadelphia area for over 15 years…I still have stayed in touch with Mike and continue to support Hosts for Hospitals. What started out as 15 host families has grown to 140 hosts providing over 4000 patient-families with lodging for over 18,000 nights. Over 90 hospitals and other health providers in the greater Philadelphia area readily refer patients and families to HfH but surprisingly give very little financial support.
Hosts for Hospitals is providing an essential, tangible service for medical professionals and their facilities that supports the overall healing process for their patients and their families by alleviating their stress of finding affordable accommodations during their time of crisis.
We’ve belonged to this group since it’s inception many years ago. We house those in need of care in Philadelphia and have met so many wonderful people. It feels good to be able to help these folks in times of trouble.
The staff sends emails out with the various families’ needs and you choose which one you can host, but there is no obligation to host.
This organization was so kind and wonderful for us in a time of great need. We are so grateful for the housing provided while our daughter was in the NICU after birth. This is such a need for families, and this group is serving the need so well!
My family has participated in hosting families through Hosts for Hospitals for over twenty years. We estimate that over the years we have hosted more than fifty families, ranging from very young children with very serious diseases to seniors who have their illness behind them and are in Philadelphia for a followup visit. These might have been one-night stays in our home for an office visit at a medical facility or six-month stays for outpatient cancer treatment. The family or patient might have traveled to our home from central Pennsylvania or from China, Mexico, Iran, or Madagascar. Every single person we hosted was kind, courteous, and extremely appreciative of the the service provided by Hosts for Hospitals. Many were surprised to learn that such an organization exists: that people would allow strangers into their homes, whatever the circumstances. Every guest we've hosted has enriched our lives and opened our eyes to the goodness of humanity round the world.
Here are a few examples of guests who stand out in our memories:
The teenager from Madagascar who came to Philly for treatment of a tumor that filled half his head; there was no doctor in his country who could offer any treatment.
A five-year-old boy from Iran who was losing his vision. His father spent two years working to get the family the visa that would allow them to come to the United States and the one hospital that might be able to help the boy.
A delightful Amish couple who took the train from Indiana to Philly because their most recent grandchild--their 28th grandchild--was admitted to CHOP with a metabolic disorder. They were thrilled that they could walk from our house to CHOP and reported having many friendly conversations with curious strangers along the way.
The very young couple from Texas who had learned four days before arriving in Philadelphia that the baby the woman was carrying had spina bifida--a condition they had never heard of. The courage and optimism they brought to the situation were inspirational.
Clearly I could go on and on. I have been involved in dozens of types of volunteer work throughout my life. My family's involvement with Hosts for Hospitals has absolutely been the most rewarding of these experiences. My husband and I know exactly the difference our small act of providing a temporary home for someone in need has made in that person's life. And all we did was open our door!
Peggy Gordon
HFH is amazing. Complete strangers opened their homes for my father to stay with them while my mother was in the hospital for 4 weeks. It was a very stressful time, yet HFH took so much of that stress away. Their communication was done with easy and with so much compassion. Without HFH, I can't even begin to imagine the challenges we would have had to endure on top of mom's condition. Dad could never have afforded to stay in Philly, close to the hospital, let alone have been with mom everyday. I strongly believe mom's hospital care and recovery was positive because dad was with her. All thanks to HFH.
My husband and I were volunteers with Hosts for Hospitals for over 15 years. We had the privilege of hosting many families here in Philadelphia for their own treatment at area hospitals or for that of members of their families. We had some extra space in our home and really that is what we provided. Never was such a small gesture received with more gratitude and warmth. We still hear from families we hosted over all those years!
What a wonderful service Hosts for Hospitals provides for patients and their families at a time when they need support the most. While facing a formidable life-changing surgery in July 2017, I was also burdened about where to affordably house my husband and family members when they came up to support me ! My prayers were answered through Hosts for Hospitals !!
Mike Aichenbaum and his staff took me by the hand, went right to work, and before I knew it, we were making our long drive from Fredericksburg, VA, to Philadelphia, PA ... on our way to a lovely, spacious home-away-from-home to spend the up-to-2-months stay that we planned for the intense 9-hour surgery, three weeks of hospitalization, then to homecare IV feeding and home health care, follow up outpatient radiological care for developed abscess drain tubes, chemo treatments if needed... what a blessing beyond words !!!
All our needs were met at every turn. Hosts for Hospitals was always just a phone call away, and supported us every minute of every day of this horrendously challenging experience. They and our Host Family made us feel like their family, and we can never say thank you enough !!
God bless you, Mike, and may God continue to prosper your organization !!
Phil & Kay Furr
Fredericksburg, VA
HFH recognizes that folks from all ethnic and socio economic levels deserve to receive quality healthcare and they provide an eco system to enable this!
It is a passionate caring group of professionals who are dedicated to this mission and who are personally committed to the community
I worked with this organization for several years as a host. I housed several individuals and small to large family groups. Hosts for Hospitals was supportive of me and the families. They were easy to communicate with. The families were very appreciative. The families were able to concentrate on their family member's health issues and not worry about housing. Hosts for Hospitals provides a wonderful service for the patients and their families.
The passion this organization has to help people in need find lodging so that patients and their loved ones can focus on their treatment is priceless. And the need is growing as many people are traveling far and wide to find the best healthcare and give them the greatest hope to heal and recover. Hosts for Hospitals gives people an opportunity to receive the best healthcare that otherwise they might not be able to afford to receive. This is something everyone deserves and Hosts for Hospitals will not let lodging (the hidden cost of healthcare) stand in the way of this!!
Hosts for Hospitals provides housing for out-of-town patients who need specialized care in the Philadelphia area. The guests are well screened in advance (as are the host families). Many friendships are forged between hosts and guests during this crucial time in their lives. It is a life-saving experience for guests and a life-affirming experience for hosts.
Our family has hosted many patient families over the past couple decades and nothing could be more rewarding. It’s such an easy way to make a huge impact on people’s lives; we only wish we had the time and space to do it more often.
Hosts for Hospitals provides housing for persons drawn to one of Phiadelphia's premiere medical institutions for care. We have been "hosts", using our guest room to accommodate peple in critical need. The rewards have been great. The gratitude our guests extend to us has been rich and humbling. The relief this program provides for its clients is enormous, both economically and and in terms of their spirits and their healing.
Hosts for Hospitals provided a wonderful two bedroom apartment for us when I gave birth to my CHD baby. My toddler was able to stay with us during this time when that option wasn't available elsewhere. We are forever grateful.
When my daughter was in HUP for a double lung transplant, her friends were able to visit her because they find overnight housing through Hosts for Hospitals. Their visits meant a great deal to Christine during or long recovery. They are a pleasurento work with and committed to their mission.
I travel from out of state every three months for medical treatment. For almost six years Host for Hospitals has provided housing for me. They have gone above and beyond to fulfill special requests. They have saved me thousands of dollars in housing costs over the years. I am very thankful for this organization.
In November 2010, my mother needed open heart surgery at U Penn Hospital in Philadelphia. She lived two hours away in northeast PA, and I live in NY. I didn't have family or friends in the area that I could stay with, and having gone through bankruptcy and divorce in the same year, I couldn't afford to stay at a hotel. I found Hosts for Hospitals through the U Penn website and contacted them. Following a review of my situation and a personal reference, they accepted my request and referred me to an incredibly kind and generous family near the hospital who welcomed me into their home and gave me a comforting place to stay for free. My mother ended up having complications following her surgery, and needed a lot of attention. I will forever be grateful to Hosts for Hospitals for allowing me to be with my mother during the most difficult fight of her life. The work these people do and the service they provide is the epitome of kindness and generosity. We could all do well to follow their example. I would recommend HFH to anyone & everyone.