MADISON, Wis. (SPECTRUM NEWS)— In the heart of Madison, a special new Madison Area Urban Ministry facility is now open to homeless families in need of medical respite care.  

It’s called the healing house and the turn of the century residence boasts five separate bedrooms for families coping with difficult circumstances. Healing House Coordinator Terri Johnson says it is a blessing for new moms or parents with children receiving care at American Family Children’s Hospital. Without it, Johnson says homeless families have limited options.

“There’s hotel vouchers, but they run out really quickly, and if they go there, it’s ok if it is a sick child, but if it is a mother who needs to recuperate, no one is feeding her meals, nobody is helping, nobody is seeing if they are ok, they are just on their own,” Johnson said.

The facility is projected to cost roughly $400,000 a year to operate.  You can learn more about the Healing House and how to donate, here.