Hospice Whitby is calling on residents in Whitby, Ontario, to organize their own fundraisers to support the daily costs of the Roger Anderson House. This move comes as the organization shifts from building the facility to focusing on the care provided to local families.
The Roger Anderson House is a 10-bed residence located at the corner of Prince of Wales Drive and Crawforth Street. While the provincial government pays for medical staff, the community is responsible for about half of the operating costs, which include food, utilities, and staff who are not medical professionals.
To help people get started, Durham Region Hospice has provided a fundraising guide and toolkit. Residents can use these tools to plan activities like bake sales, golf tournaments, or office challenges and register them with the organization.
The facility is named in honour of the late Roger Anderson, who served as the Durham Regional Chair for 21 years. According to the Town of Whitby, construction began in November 2024 after an eight-year effort to bring local hospice care to the area.
Money raised through these events will ensure that essential services like grief counselling and respite care, which gives family members a break from caregiving, remain available for free. These community-led efforts help meet the high demand for end-of-life care beds in the local region.
