GREEN BAY, Wis. — Until recently, Wisconsin native Angela Crawford never even heard about the Altrusa Hospitality House in Green Bay. It took a family emergency to bring her back and into the welcoming home.
“My mother’s doing better because of our visit here, wow,” read Crawford as she thumbed through a guest book she found in her room.
She stays at the house with her mother, to remain close to her father, who is hospitalized.
“He ended up having to have an emergency angioplasty, and we never expected him to be in the hospital this long, but it’s been almost 30 days now,” said Crawford.
She lives in Arizona, and thanks to the Altrusa House, instead of worrying about hotels and meals, Crawford and her mother can focus on more pressing matters.
“Love and support that my dad needs during the healing process,” explained Crawford. “We’re so grateful for all of that. We’ve been treated so kind.”
Mission Advancement Manager for the House Kristine Blum said that on a typical night, Altrusa hosts 12 to 15 people. The nonprofit does not charge its guests.
“Each room has its own private bath and often two twin beds. We have a few with some queen beds. We can accommodate all sorts of people who are coming from far away and make sure there is a comfortable place for them to stay,” said Blum.
Volunteers support the mission in many ways, including making home-cooked meals and treats for guests. Mary Hanzel said she enjoys helping families in need, something she’s done since 2003. Memories of parents with newborn babies in a neonatal intensive care unit especially stick out in her mind.
“It’s not just the person that’s in the hospital that needs healing, it’s the person that stays here. They need to be able to keep themselves healthy to be able to give support to their loved ones,” said Hanzel.
Blum said there is science that shows people will have expedited healing when staying in a community home environment.
“When you stay here at Altrusa Hospitality, there is the gift of alleviating that burden and being in a sense of community and feeling like this truly is a home away from home,” said Blum.
Altrusa Hospitality House is always looking for either financial or everyday donation items to keep its mission going. It is currently running a collection drive.
“It’s just like living in your own home. We need the paper products, the cleaning products, to keep this place up and going for the people that stay here. It’s no cost for people to be here and so we just depend on the community to donate and wrap their arms around people in that way,” said Blum.
Altrusa has drop-off locations at Festival Foods in Suamico and De Pere, as well as right at the House in Green Bay. Blum said K-cups for weary guests are also appreciated, but when you're far from home, there’s nothing quite like a home-cooked meal.
“You can make it at home, you can make it here in our own kitchens at Altrusa,” said Blum. “Visit with the guests. Listen to their stories and just share a little love while you’re here.”
For guests facing medical emergencies, a little compassion can go a long way.
“We’re so grateful for all of that. We’ve been treated so kind, just like family,” said Crawford.
Eventually, Crawford plans to write her own entry in the guest book about her experience. As many before her have done, she said she’ll likely express gratitude for her home away from home, when her family faced a difficult time.