Southern California Hospice Foundation

Our mission is to deliver a breadth of resources to caregivers, families and patients who are confronting the final stages of life.

The Southern California Hospice Foundation (SCHF) was established in 2002 in order to serve terminally ill children and adults who are facing challenges at the end-of-life. We are committed to partnering with the hospice team in order to help to fill the gap, meeting needs that are typically not covered by Medicare, Medical or other insurances - needs such as payment of a utility bill, food or a final wish. In February of 2023, we opened the Heavenly Home located in Mission Viejo, creating a place where terminally ill patients can complete life’s journey in a comfortable home-like setting with 24 hour wake caregiving staff. The Heavenly Home offers an important option for people who may not have family or friends who can care for them, creating a sanctuary of hope for all who enters its doors.  

In addition to supporting patients and families with needs that reach beyond the scope of what the hospice benefit covers, our biggest impact was made through the Heavenly Home, where in February 2023, we opened Orange County's first nonprofit end-of-life care home. Since opening our doors, we have served 35 terminally ill residents receiving care from 15 different hospice providers. As the first and only nonprofit end-of-life care home in Orange County, we provide housing and 24 hour caregiving for patients who need a loving home for the last stage of life. Our caregiving staff has provided over 69,000 hours of care, allowing a daughter to be a daughter or a son to be a son, without also having to provide hands on care for their dying loved one.

Our Top 4 most pressing needs include the following:

1). We are seeking contributions to our endowment, which will allow for us to charge on a sliding scale at our Heavenly Home in order to accommodate residents of all socioeconomic backgrounds.

2). We need volunteers. We are seeking Hospice Advisory Council Members, or leaders in the community who are committed to supporting our efforts. We also need volunteers to provide to provide many types of services at the Heavenly Home including: art therapy, pet therapy, music therapy, decorating the house for each holiday and providing patients with emotional support, companionship and life review.

3). We need corporate sponsors and volunteers to support our annual golf tournament held at Newport Beach Country Club.

4). We need grocery gift cards in any amount. The most common request we receive through our Angel Assistance program is the need for food.

In addition to the Orange County community, we also serve the Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernadino, San Diego and Ventura county.

Dear Friends and Supporters,

In my life, I have witnessed many miracles, and 2024 was no exception. I saw a family who was once estranged, reconcile with their sister before she passed, and a daughter found tremendous comfort in having her dad at the Heavenly Home during his final days. And those stories are not unique. So many lives are being changed and impacted in such a beautiful and sacred way each and every day.

Through our Angel Assistance program we help with practical needs and fabulous final wishes. For a family who was eating our of an ice chest, we were able to provide a new fridge. We were even able to send a 42 year-old hospice patient to Disneyland with his family and two young daughters. Because of support from people like you, we are able to make his wishes like these come true, and it is remarkable to witness the transformative impact you are making.

Milestones, like holidays, can be significant too, which is why celebrations are a core component of caring for our patients. We celebrate with enthusiasm and lots of decorations, in an effort to bring a smile to the faces of those we serve. After all, Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “It is cheerful to God when you rejoice or laugh from the bottom of your heart,” and I couldn’t agree more.

Beyond that, our donors have stepped in when we have needed practical items like meals, or pizza parties, and event new patio furniture! Thank you for making all the difference in the lives of those we serve. Life is for living (and celebrating!), and we feel so privileged to be able to provide care to those who need us most. Thank you for being our partner and friend.

May you continue to be blessed in all things both big and small.

With Deepest Gratitude,

Michelle Wulfestieg
Executive Director

Dear Friends,

Over the last 30 years, I have dedicated my life’s work to delivering quality end-of-life care. And in doing so, I have witnessed the enormous gaps in resources that affect the overall delivery of care. In many cases, patients had used all of their resources to pay for curative care, and now on hospice care, had no money left to take care of unfinished business. Seeing the desperation of these families prompted me to invest in the Southern California Hospice Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life at the end of life.

For the last 23 years, I am proud of what SCHF has accomplished. Each year, we work with terminally ill patients during their darkest hour, giving them a reason to smile again. For those who are struggling financially, food is given and overdue bills are paid. Homeless patients are clothed and provided with shelter. Veterans are honored and given a final salute. Families are reunited to say their goodbyes. Children and adults alike are granted their last wish. Grieving families gain support from grief workshops. Beyond that, education about hospice is provided through tabling events, healthcare fairs, PSA announcements, conferences, and speaking engagements.  We have done great work! But there is still so much work to be done.  

Our vision was to open an end-of-life care home in Orange County that serves as loving home for the last stage. I am pleased to say that the Heavenly Home opened its doors in February of 2023, offering an alternative to institutional care in the final days, weeks or months of life. Thousands of families in Orange County have seen firsthand the value of a quality hospice program. Now is the time to extend this care to those families and patients who can’t stay in their own homes. I thank you for supporting hospice and look forward to partnering with you.

Sincerely,

Chris Duran
Board President