Manley Joins Local Hospice to Announce Capital Campaign

Rep. Natalie Manley (D-Joliet) joined Joliet Area Community Hospice for a press conference on January 15th to announce the “Remembering from the Heart”campaign to expand and renovate the JACH facility. Last year, Rep. Manley passed legislation to increase the number of patient beds allowed for hospice homes in Illinois from 16 to 20, allowing JACH to move forward with adding new patient rooms and spaces.

“It was an honor to have played a role in helping Joliet Area Community
Hospice expand their facility to allow more patients and their loved ones the
opportunity to experience the same compassionate care that my late mother and
our family did when she was there in 2017,” said Manley. “JACH is an important
part of our community that provides excellent end-of-life care, free of
charge.”

JACH’s facility opened in 2004 as the first freestanding hospice in
Illinois. The expansion will improve the patient and family experience with an
enlarged, brighter and more efficient environment. The project will add more
patient beds and the central nursing station will be replaced by nursing
cubbies throughout the facility so that nurses will be closer to patients. The
kitchen and spiritual space will be expanded, and each patient room will have a
refrigerator, sink and French doors leading to a private patio. The campaign
has a fundraising goal of $3.5 million, with $2,178,629 already raised.

“The most important thing I can tell you is that she got wonderful,
compassionate care here,” said Manley, referring to her mother during the press
conference. “Joliet Area Community Hospice not only takes care of their
patients, but also provides relief and comfort to the families, which I know my
mother greatly appreciated.”