On January 9, 2008, the Center For Hope held its Grand Opening of Peggy Coloney's House at Hope Village, its new 30 bed residential hospice facility in Scotch Plains, New Jersey.

Over three hundred people attended the festivities to hear remarks from the Center's President & CEO Robert Coloney, Board Chairman Al Sauer, Medical Director Dr. Robert Wegryn, Union County Freeholder Chairman Angel Estrada, and Scotch Plains Mayor Martin Marks.

"This is a truly momentous day for this organization," said Robert Coloney.  "Our organization's founder, Peggy Coloney, my mother, had a vision for a state-of-the-art facility to meet the needs of those in the final stages of their lives who could not take care of themselves or whose families could not provide them with adequate care.  Today, with Peggy Coloney's House, we can anticipate caring for an additional one hundred patients each year in a residential environment."

Board Chairman Al Sauer said, "This organization is committed to our mission of serving all those in need, regardless of race, creed, or their socioeconomic situation.  Last year, we provided over $800,000 in non-reimbursed care to our patients.  Peggy Coloney's House has fourteen of its thirty beds dedicated strictly to low income patients, furthering our commitment to that mission."

Medical Directory Dr. Robert Wegryn added, "Hospice care continues to grow.  As the baby boomer continues to age, this demand will become even greater.  We were trendsetters when we began this organization and the public had little understanding of hospice care.  We led the way then and we do so again today by building a facility that is truly the model for others to emulate."

Construction of the facility cost $11.2 million and was completed in just less than two years.  Funding was provided from a variety of sources including the State of New Jersey, the NJ Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, the County of Union, numerous charitable foundations and hundreds of individual donors.

The new facility includes 30 patient rooms, 3 guest rooms, a library, a children's playroom, sun rooms, sun porches, a chapel, dining facilities, and numerous common space lounges.

The Center For Hope Hospice & Palliative Care was founded in the 1970's by the late Peggy Coloney, RN and the late Father Charles Hudson to meet the needs of a vastly underserved community in New Jersey.  Incorporated as a 501 (C)3 organization in 1983, the Center was the first in the state to operate as a Medicare-approved hospice, and it was the first to provide housing.  The Center For Hope remains the only hospice in New Jersey to operate its own residential facilities.

The Center added "Palliative Care" to its name as an expansion of the mission of hospice to address the needs of individuals outside the six-month life expectancy parameter.  This change represents the willingness of the Center For Hope Hospice & Palliative Care to share its expertise in the area of palliative care for the terminally ill and to offer consultative services regarding an interdisciplinary approach to symptom management for patients with debilitating chronic diseases.

The Center helps more than 500 patients each year live their last days with dignity.  The Center's mission is to provide physical, emotional and spiritual support for those facing the challenges of life-limiting illness, regardless of their ability to pay.  Support teams composed of doctors, nurses, social workers, spiritual counselors, home health aides, volunteers and grief support counselors help create a comprehensive network for people reaching the most difficult juncture of their lives.

In addition to Peggy Coloney's House, the Center currently operates two other residential hospice facilities, Father Hudson House and Theo House, both in Elizabeth, New Jersey, providing a total of 33 beds.  Each year these facilities serve approximately 85 patients.  Center For Hope attends to more than 400 more annually through its Home Hospice Care program, the Nursing Home Program, Bereavement Grief Counseling and Community Outreach.

A staff of 140 and more than 200 volunteers, headquartered in Scotch Plains, support the medical personnel.