Group provides home for hospital patients

When 19-year-old Jacob Sanford was 15, he traveled from Midland to Houston to receive treatment for a cancerous tumor at the MD Anderson Cancer Center. He and his family were put in a bit of a financial bind, despite having medical insurance. His situation became even more difficult when he found out his post-surgery treatment would be outpatient. His family, already short on money, was going to need to find a place to stay for an extended period of time.

Then their social worker introduced them to Cinco Charities, a nonprofit organization dedicated to meeting the needs of people who come to Katy for health care for life threatening illnesses. Cinco Charities' mission is to provide free temporary housing for patients and caregivers.

"There was a point where we really didn't know where we were going to stay," Sanford said. "It means a lot. I don't know what we would've done if we hadn't found out about Cinco Charities."

Founded in 2006 by a group of Realtors with Keller Williams Premier Realty in Katy, Cinco Charities is a member of the Healthcare Hospitality Network, a network of temporary housing facilities for hospital patients. The mission, according to Ginger Hopper, chair of the Cinco Charities Board of Directors, is to make the patients feel as at home as possible while being away from home.

In the beginning, the primary method of housing patients was paying for hotel rooms. Cancer survivor Erin Ballard and her husband Monty have been instrumental in helping the organization expand. In 2011, the Ballard family donated and furnished housing space to help reduce the nonprofit's dependency on hotels.

"When we help a guest in a hotel, it costs about $100 per night," Hopper said. "At first we could only help them for a maybe a week at a time, but now we're helping people for up to a couple of months."

The Ballards' contributions do not end there. This fall, Cinco Charities hopes to open the Ballard House, a 24-suite hospitality house funded by the Ballard family.

"This will allow us to help people from the beginning of their treatment to the completion," Hopper said.

Cinco Charities raises money through fundraisers as well as grants from MD Anderson, Sam's Club, local families and churches. Although the organization uses an application process, Hopper said it does not set requirements based on financial standing, age or where the patient is seeking treatment.

For Larry Sanford, Jacob's father, the Cinco Charities staff offered more than a place to stay. Through their accessibility and genuine concern, they also offered him peace of mind.

"They were people we could talk to," he said. "As a father, that was a load off my mind for them to help with that burden."

The Ballard House

The house will be located on a three-acre plot in Cinco Ranch at South Mason Road. The 20,000-square-foot house will cost about $3 million to construct and is being funded by the Ballard Foundation.

The house will feature 24 suites with room for a patient and caregiver, as well as a game room, chapels, a serenity garden, and community kitchen and dining areas. An early fall opening is planned.

Cinco Charities, 281-220-2188, www.cincocharities.org