Heaping helping of hospitality

When Patricia Hudson's mother fell and fractured her skull last spring, she ended up at Emory Health System for extended treatment in the intensive care unit.

"My daughter and granddaughter came with me, but we live in Colbert, Ga. [about 80 miles northeast of Atlanta], and [we] knew we wouldn't be able to afford to stay in a hotel room for so many nights," Hudson said.

Help was on the way when the family ICU coordinator at Emory gave the family a pamphlet about the Atlanta Hospital Hospitality House in Atlanta's nearby Druid Hills neighborhood.

"That house is a blessing," Hudson said. "We had access to food in the refrigerator, showers, a washer and dryer, and a bed — day or night.

"It's a lovely old house and the grounds are beautiful. It's been a home away from home."

After the anxiety and constant waiting at the hospital, the house was a place where Hudson, her daughter, Donna Spratlin, and her 12-year-old granddaughter Heather Spratlin could rest and relax.

"It's 10 minutes from the hospital, and we think the staff is from heaven," Hudson said.

A warm, caring environment for stressed-out families is exactly the kind of atmosphere executive director Melissa Connor, her staff and a team of volunteers provide.

"Hospital staffs focus on patient care, but they don't have time to focus on family care," Connor said. "We want to support the families so that they can be there for their patients."

Established in the former home of wealthy businessman Cator Woolford and his wife, Charlotte, the Atlanta Hospital Hospitality House has offered lodging, meals and supportive companionship to outpatients and caregivers of hospitalized patients in the Atlanta area since 1981. The white stucco mansion, which was built in 1926, has accommodated more than 150,000 guests.

"It started as a mission of All Saints Episcopal Church, who heard from Crawford Long Hospital that a hospitality house was needed for families of patients," Connor said.

Today, the nonprofit organization, which is supported by churches, volunteers, foundations, civic and veteran's organizations, businesses and individuals, opens its doors to the families of patients at 21 Atlanta hospitals. The families must live at least 40 miles from Atlanta.

Open arms

Unlike other houses that support patients who have specific diseases or are staying at certain hospitals, the Atlanta Hospital Hospitality House accepts families of patients with any condition, and for any length of time.

"Some houses will only allow two guests per family, but we've been known to put our library to use as a dormitory for extended families [who are] gathering to say goodbye to a relative in hospice," Connor said. "Sometimes these people haven't seen each other for a long time and they'll stay up all night talking and catching up."

The 10,000-square-foot historic landmark, which can hold up to 17 guests, recently opened a new 1,400-square-foot cottage to provide handicapped-accessible lodging for eight more guests. The Home Depot Marcus Hospitality Cottage — a replica of a dollhouse built by the original owners — will also serve families of patients receiving treatment at the Marcus Autism Center in Atlanta.

Although the organization spends about $44 per guest per day, the suggested donation for each guest is only $10 per day.

"We do the fund-raising ourselves and [we] are fortunate to have many who support us, including former guests," Connor said. "Without the generous donations of our supporters, many of our guests would be sleeping in waiting rooms and using hospital bathrooms to stay clean."

Buying meat for 25 guests can be a challenge but serving a nutritious meal each night is part of the home's hospitality, Connor said. The dinner menu often runs toward comfort food — meat loaf, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans and corn bread. This year, staff members are growing a garden so they can serve more fresh vegetables.

Guests are also allowed to pack lunches from the refrigerator and pantry.

"Because we have rooms for men and for women, and because everyone gathers for dinner, we've seen lifelong friendships formed," Connor said. "When people are in crisis together, they often lean on each other and help each other."

Home away from home

The environment at the Atlanta Hospital Hospitality House is just that — hospitable.

"We try to make sure that people have a safe and comfortable place to stay," said Darren Adkins, program manager. "Since I had my mother and niece in separate hospitals at the same time last summer, I know what it's like now.

"After sitting in uncomfortable hospital chairs all day, we don't want people to have to go back to a hotel room and sit by themselves and probably think about worst-case scenarios. We can make them welcome here. If they want to talk, fine, if they just want to rest, that's fine, too."

A teacher, Adkins was on his way from Atlanta to New Orleans to help his niece in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina hit. "I couldn't get there, and since I knew Melissa Connor and her husband, I heard about the house and started volunteering here," he said.

A year later, Connor offered Adkins a full-time job coordinating volunteers and taking care of day-to-day operations and maintenance.