Community leaders held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Joshua’s House, a hospice for the unhoused, marking the completion of a decade-long project.
Joshua’s House is a new hospice that will provide end-of-life care to those experiencing homelessness.
Community leaders held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday for the project, which is some 10 years in the making.
Located in South Natomas, across from Garden Valley Elementary School — a location that hasn’t been without its controversy — the hospice is set to officially open in July and will be owned and operated by YoloCares.
The hospice will serve up to 15 people, to start, with space to add three additional modular buildings, which would add nine beds, said YoloCares CEO Craig Dresang.
No walk-ins are allowed; patients will only come referred by local hospitals.
Joshua’s House is a first of its kind project on the West Coast, Dresang said.
“It took the entire community to come together to do this. A project like this doesn’t just happen; it really requires collaboration, support and goodwill from the community at all levels, and that’s what this really represents,” he said.
Joshua’s House founder Marlene Fitzwater suffered a stroke three weeks ago and was not able to make Wednesday’s ceremony. She watched virtually.
Joshua’s House is named for her grandson, who died unhoused in Nebraska more than a decade ago.