The mission of  Porta Caeli House is to extend Christ’s love to those in need through compassionate end-of-life care, when dying at home is not an option.

While some people are fortunate, choosing the dignity and comfort of dying in their own home, surrounded by loving family, others do not have that option. For many reasons, some people with terminal illnesses are unable to be cared for at home.  Those who are suffering, in need of loving and compassionate care at the end of their lives, often discover that there is no place to go.  We must respond to this need.

Porta Caeli House guests are served regardless of race, illness, faith or financial status. Services are provided at no charge. We anticipate serving 200-400 guests per year, depending on length of stay.

These guests are individuals in the last days or weeks of their lives. Porta Caeli House provides individual rooms, meals, and personal care. We are not a licensed medical facility, nursing home or hospice program. Guests must be enrolled in a hospice program before being admitted to Porta Caeli House. Guests must have a Do Not Resuscitate order (DNR) in place. The guest’s hospice program, not Porta Caeli House, provides the medical care and other hospice services. Medicare or Medicaid may pay the hospice provider for services, but Porta Caeli House does not receive reimbursement.

Porta Caeli House shows Christ’s merciful love to guests and their families in a loving environment, enables dying with dignity, and re-establishes the concept in the broader community that dying is the natural conclusion of life on this earth, not something to be feared or avoided.