With money tight, Serenity House reaches out to community

Since opening its doors two years ago, Mooresville's Serenity House has depended on regular financial contributions for providing end-of-life care.

Now, faced with declining donations in a weakened economy, the nonprofit organization is reaching out to the community.

"I feel like our community is very generous, but end of life is kind of a hard issue to think about 'til you need it," said Cheryl Pletcher, executive director of the Carolina Comfort Coalition, which runs Serenity House.

"We need to connect with people who have a heart for what we do because we want to be here for any Mooresville resident that needs us."

As a mission that "ministers to the needs of those who are close to death and who are unable to stay at home for various reasons," Serenity House at 110 Centre Church Road has served 46 families since opening in October 2007. With two beds open to hospice patients at a time, the end-of-life home requires $350 per day for the 'round the clock care provided to guests.

Waning donations, said Pletcher, leave the organization barely getting by.

"We just have to look to the community," she said. "We're looking for people who would be interested in a monthly donation. We have several churches that send to us on a monthly or quarterly basis."

Last week, following the deaths of both Serenity House patients, the organization took advantage of the "natural break" in care and looked closely at its finances. Although Pletcher said donations have remained steady, she noted that a decline in the amounts was evident. She said a "revitalization" of Serenity House's finances was needed to continue providing end-of-life services through the holiday season.

During the weeklong break, the paid staff worked a minimum number of hours, she said, and the executive board met to "strategize on new ways to engage the community." Optimistically, Pletcher said Serenity House can reach out to new friends throughout the Mooresville area and remain a local non-profit care provider.

"For us, as soon as we take a patient we're open for 24 hours a day, seven days a week," she said. "We are 24/7 the moment we say yes to any resident in the community. So, for us, it's a little scarier to actually be open for business."
But for many individuals who haven't gone through the end-of-life care process with a family member, Pletcher said they may not understand what exactly Serenity House does and how important its services truly are to those nearing death and their families.
In making people more aware of the organization's services – all of which are at no cost to the family and supported solely by donations – Pletcher said she hopes contributions will increase.
Whether it's providing a bed and residential environment to a homeless person nearing the end of life or simply becoming a surrogate family to an individual whose battle with cancer is coming to an end, Pletcher said approximately 50 volunteers and a small staff try to make the dying process more comfortable for the person and his or her family.
At Monday night's meeting of the Mooresville Board of Commissioners, the board recognized November as National Hospice Month as well as Serenity House's contributions to Mooresville, Iredell County and its residents.
Mayor Bill Thunberg presented Pletcher with the town's proclamation, which thanked the organization "for the tremendous services they provide and for the care and comfort of those who are nearing the end of their lives."
For more information on Serenity House or to donate, visit www.carolinacomfortcoalition.org or call 704-664-2004.