Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) has awarded a $250,000 grant toward the Family House expansion campaign.

"Our longtime community partner Blue Cross NC understands the many factors that impact health, including the fact that patients and their loved ones need a safe, affordable place to stay when they are far from home and suffering from illness. We are grateful for their significant contribution to our plan to serve more people in our state,” said President of the Family House Board of Directors Matthew G. Ewend, MD, FACS. Dr. Ewend is President of UNC Physicians and Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at UNC School of Medicine.

“Family House is doing such great work to give North Carolina families a sense of security and some peace of mind as they battle illness,” said Blue Cross NC Vice President of Corporate Affairs Kathy Higgins. “Expanding Family House’s capacity to serve will make quality health care even more accessible to families who can travel to UNC Hospitals from across our state and have a ‘home base’ to support their loved ones.”

Fundraising for the SECU Family House Share the House capital campaign is underway, and in parallel, the campaign committee is seeking appropriate building approvals from the University of North Carolina and the Town of Chapel Hill. The Share the House campaign is chaired by longtime Family House volunteers Bob and Becky Woodruff and Maureen O’Connor.

Support from Blue Cross NC, other businesses and foundations, and hundreds of volunteers make a difference in the lives more than 2,000 Family House guests each year. As UNC Hospitals and its system of care throughout the state continue to grow, Family House is a critical link in alleviating barriers to accessing the highest-quality health care. The 40 rooms are in constant use, and two of every three guests who are referred by a patient's medical care team are turned away. The expansion campaign will nearly double the size of the House to serve more guests, create a larger support network, and impact the health of more patients and families in North Carolina and beyond.

For more information about the Share the House expansion campaign, visit secufamilyhouse.org/share.

SECU Family House at UNC Hospitals Mission: SECU Family House SECU Family House is a safe, nurturing, affordable home for patients and their loved ones who travel great distances to UNC Hospitals for life-saving procedures and serious illnesses. We provide guests lodging, meals, supportive programs, transportation, and a caring support network. We serve families from all 100 North Carolina counties and beyond, helping them rest, heal, and gather strength when they need it most.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina improves the health and well-being of our customers and communities by providing innovative health care products, services and information to more than 3.89 million members, including approximately 1 million served on behalf of other Blue Plans. Since 1933, we have worked to make North Carolina a better place to live through our support of community organizations, programs and events that promote good health. We have been recognized as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere Institute multiple times since 2012. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Visit Blue Cross NC online at bcbsnc.com. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.