Kelowna Toyota donates

Photo: Contributed

Every year, thousands of families from across the southern interior of British Columbia must travel to Kelowna General Hospital in order for a loved one to receive advanced medical treatment. Now, thanks to the generousity of the owners and staff at Kelowna Toyota, the KGH Foundation’s Better Together campaign to build JoeAnna’s House, a home away from home for these families, is $30,000 closer to reaching its goal.

“When we asked our staff what community project they would want to get behind, the response to support JoeAnna’s House was completely unanimous,” says Jamie Kaban, General Manager at Kelowna Toyota. “Keeping families together when they need it the most aligns perfecting with our desire to support projects that will positively impact the entire community.”

JoeAnna’s House, named in honour of Josef and Anna Huber, the late founders of family owned and operated Prestige Hotels & Resorts, will eventually stand on the KGH site at the corner of Royal Avenue and Abbott Street. The home will offer approximately 20 rooms, a shared kitchen and home like amenities to family members wishing to stay close to their loved ones, while they receive treatment at KGH. Priority will be given to the families of infants and children.

“When a child is sick, the added hardship of leaving home to travel for care can be completely overwhelming,” says Laura White, a social worker at KGH. “Having JoeAnna’s House will significantly reduce the emotional and financial burden on these families.”

This past October, the KGH Foundation launched the Better Together campaign to raise the $8 million to build JoeAnna’s House. The project is scheduled to break ground in the fall of 2018 and open its doors in late 2019.

“Kelowna Toyota invests thousands of dollars back into the community every year,” says Mischa Mueller, Senior Development Officer at the KGH Foundation.  “We are grateful to Jamie and his team for providing early leadership in helping us build JoeAnna’s House.”