Joshua’s House Hospice held a ceremonial ribbon-cutting this week, marking a historic milestone in Sacramento’s response to homelessness and compassionate end-of-life care. Set to officially open in July, Joshua’s House will become the first hospice on the West Coast—and one of only a few nationwide—dedicated to serving terminally ill, unhoused individuals.
“Joshua’s House began with simple but profound conversations with people living on the streets,” said Marlene von Friederichs-Fitzwater, founder and CEO of Joshua’s House. “They weren’t afraid of dying, they were afraid of dying alone. Our healthcare and housing systems were never built to support unhoused individuals at the end of life. Joshua’s House fills that heartbreaking gap.”
Located at 3630 Larchwood Drive in Sacramento, the new facility will soon provide end-of-life care to up to 15 unhoused residents from the surrounding region. The project is the result of more than a decade of tireless advocacy, led by von Friederichs-Fitzwater. With the help of individual donors, public grants, and foundation support, the organization raised more than $3.5 million to bring Joshua’s House to fruition.
An estimated 20 to 25 percent of people experiencing homelessness die from terminal illnesses such as COPD, cancer, or heart disease. Without access to caregiving, shelter, or support, they often survive only a few months after diagnosis. In 2021 alone, more than 190 unhoused individuals died on Sacramento’s streets and along the rivers. Named in memory of the founder’s grandson, who died alone while unhoused, Joshua’s House aims to offer a compassionate alternative to dying in isolation.
Joshua’s House has partnered with every major hospital in the Sacramento region and intends to serve as a model for replication across California and beyond. Daily operations and hospice care will be provided by YoloCares, a trusted regional provider with deep experience in end-of-life care.
Unlike traditional hospice facilities that assume patients have a home and support system, Joshua’s House is designed specifically for those who do not. In addition to hospice medical care, residents will receive support from certified end-of-life doulas and trained volunteers offering meals, music, art and writing therapy, and companionship. The facility will also serve as a training site for medical and nursing students through coursework and internships.
The ribbon-cutting event featured remarks from local leaders, including Sacramento County Supervisor Phil Serna, YoloCares CEO Craig Dresang, and representatives from the offices of Assemblymember Maggy Krell and Senator Angelique Ashby. Misha Safran, founder of the Center for Empathy and Emotional Intelligence, served as emcee. The ceremony concluded with a symbolic white dove release in remembrance of lives lost and those who will be served at Joshua’s House.
“This community really came together in a way I have rarely seen in my 15 years on the Board of Supervisors,” said Supervisor Serna at the event. “It really is a sacred site. People will come here and people will die here, and for that reason, we need to treat it as the sacred site that it is.”
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