In 1983, Family House opened its doors to patients and their families, providing them with comfortable, affordable surroundings while they underwent specialized hospital treatment at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), the Western Pennsylvania Hospital, and other hospitals in the Pittsburgh area.

Family House is a Place to Find Friends

You can feel it the minute you walk through the door. Family House is a place to find friends. Facing similar stressful situations, Family House guests compare notes, problems, and worries, in the process of forming invaluable bonds of strength and spirit. At Family House there is a deeply held belief that people in similar circumstances can help one another through the worst of times.

The kitchen is the heart of Family House. It is a place of laughter, lively conversation and favorite family recipes. One guest called it “hallowed ground.” In the company of new friends, guests can cook whatever they want - as long as they clean up after themselves!

Hundreds of dedicated volunteers contribute to the atmosphere of caring and support at Family House. Family House volunteers greet guests at the front door, deliver clean towels, and provide an "open ear," or a cup of coffee. Neighborhood bakeries often donate bagels and pastries. The local Italian grocery has been a source of emergency Italian translation, as well as gourmet specialties. Service clubs and church groups cook dinners and host parties.

At Family House, guests form unbreakable bonds with one another. As former board chairman Ted Struk often says,"We will be friends forever."