Jessica’s House receives $210,300 in provincial top-up funding

EXETER – A $210,300 top-up of funding from the province is expected to help Jessica’s House Hospice expand its team and navigate the challenges of inflation.

The funding was announced June 14 and is in addition to the annual base funds already received by the hospice, which it was successful in securing in 2020 after operating for two years.

“Hospice has a tremendous role in the overall wellness of a community,” said Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson. “I think when you see the heart that embraces a hospice, it’s indicative of the health of the community.”

Jessica’s House was named in memory of Jessica Hamather, who died in 2015 at the age of 22. After the project was initially denied funding by the province, the community rallied behind the hospice to bring it to fruition, fully funding the facility for its first two years of operating without government support.

Thompson said she has regularly spoken about the story of Jessica’s House when visiting rural communities throughout Ontario to demonstrate the importance of hospice care and how it can bring out the best in a community.

“The strength of community shines through generosity and the heart,” said Thompson. “You see a lot of heart here in South Huron through Jessica’s House.”

The additional funding is part of a $147.4-million provincial investment over the next three years to support palliative care.

Jessica’s House board chair Colin Haskett said the additional funding will help Jessica’s House fill key roles that have been covered by volunteers over the past five years that should be paid positions.

“As we’re able to have some additional government funding, we’ll be able to build our team a little bit to facilitate some of that, and ultimately provide better care to the families,” said Haskett.

Though Haskett said the hospice has been able to maintain its spending responsibly, he emphasized the importance of the community’s efforts in supporting Jessica’s House to ensure it can continue to serve the community.

“If it were not for the community, the hospice could not function,” said Haskett. “The hospice is the benefactor of a ton of support, and the more people that we support, they turn around and support us.”

The funding comes as Jessica’s House begins preparations to mark its fifth anniversary on June 18, and plans are being made to celebrate with the community.