Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Caring House?

Caring House is a home-away-from-home to adults receiving outpatient treatment at the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center (DCCC). The average stay is 18 days, with our shortest stay being 1 day and our longest 25 weeks. Most guests are from North Carolina, but almost 1/3 are out-of- state visitors and a percentage of those individuals are from other countries.

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Why is Caring House needed?

The need for a hospitality house with a focus on cancer is great in the Durham community as adults with cancer visit the DCCC outpatient clinics more than 120,000 times each year and each year DCCC receives 5,000 new cancer patients. Since our House opened in July of 1992, we have provided a home for nearly 70,000 nights to over 6,000 guests.

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Who can stay at Caring House?

Caring House guests must be 18 years of age or older. They must be able to care for themselves or bring a family member or friend who can help with the activities of daily living. All guests must be free of infectious conditions that would put other patients at risk.

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Is Caring House a Medical Facility?

Caring House is not a medical facility; no medical staff are on duty. No medications will be administered by Caring House staff or volunteers.

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How do I qualify?

Caring House guests must be adults (18 or older) receiving outpatient treatment for cancer at the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center.

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Can I reserve a room at Caring House?

All guests at Caring House are referred by oncology social workers or patient resource managers at Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center. Unfortunately a referral does not guarantee a room on a given date. That is because there is no guarantee that a room will be available on the date it is needed. Guests may stay at Caring House as long as their treatments last, and the length of treatment cannot be precisely predicted. As a result, a potential guest may be offered a room anywhere from a week to a day or two before his or her treatments begin. If they wish, those referred will be kept on the waiting list after their treatment starts and will be contacted when a room opens up. For referrals, call 919-688-6676.

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Is there a waiting list?

There is almost always a waiting list at Caring House. The list is compiled using two criteria: (1) the date the room is needed, and (2) the referral date. When received, referrals are placed in order of referral date within the week the room is needed. When a room becomes available, the house manager contacts the potential guest whose name is next on the list. It is, therefore, important for those who want to stay at Caring House to contact an oncology social worker as soon as they know they will need a room so that a referral may be made. For referrals call: 919-668-6676.

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What do I need to bring?

Since Caring House guests do their own cooking, they must bring food with them and be prepared to shop for groceries while staying at Caring House. They must also bring any personal items, such as clothing, toiletries, extra pillows and other items they will need during their stay. Guests may wish to bring extra towels or sheets, as they are provided with only one set of sheets for each bed in their room and one set of towels for each individual in the room, which they themselves may launder in the laundry room on the premises.

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What about meals?

Guests and/or their caregivers prepare their own meals in one of the kitchens shared with other guests. They need not bring any dishes, pots and pans, flatware or small appliances, unless they want to.

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What about laundry?

Laundry facilities and detergent are provided free of charge at Caring House. Guests use the laundry room to do their personal laundry and to wash their sheets and towels.

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Is there maid service?

The common areas (kitchen, great room, library, computer room, laundry room) are cleaned by a hired service every weekday. Between guest stays the private rooms are professionally cleaned. Each guest must clean his or her own bedroom and bath while at Caring House and leave the room clean at checkout.

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Can my family stay at Caring House if I am admitted to the hospital?

Caring House is aware of the sensitive nature of cancer treatment, and we try to respond to the needs of our guests accordingly. However, because there is almost always a waiting list for rooms, we do have an absentee and/or pause in treatment policy. If a guest must unexpectedly be admitted to the hospital during their stay, family members or friends who are staying with the guest may remain at Caring House for up to three days. After three days, the vacated room is filled by the next person on our waiting list. When the original occupant is released from the hospital and approved to continue their treatment, Caring House will make every effort to allow them to fill the next available room.

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How do I get to/from Duke hospital?

Duke Medical Center has a shuttle that will transport Caring House guests to and from the clinics or hospital. Guests are responsible for calling the van themselves, as it does not run on a regular schedule.

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Is there a place to park my car?

There is a large parking lot at Caring House with enough space for both the patient and his or her caregiver to park.

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How is Caring House supported?

Caring House is a nonprofit organization, governed by a Board of Directors comprised of business, academic, community, and medical leaders within and around the triangle, many of whom are individuals whose lives have been touched by cancer.  Our annual operating costs are funded 20% from donations from current or past guests, 60% from organized fundraisers, and the remaining 20% comes from the support of caring individuals, corporations, and foundations in our community.

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How can I help Caring House?

At Caring House we believe that a little caring goes a long way. We recognize the value in contributions of an individual’s skills, time, materials, and money. Each of these types of donations makes a difference in the stay of our guests.  Big or small, all of your efforts help to improve our house by making it feel more like home.

Donations of Money

To make an online donation click here and you will be transferred to our secure online gift page.

Caring House has one primary campaign, which is our Community of Caring Campaign.  This campaign is our annual effort to generate the funds needed that enable us to open our doors each day and provide a home for our guests each year.

The money this campaign generates enables us to provide rooms for those guests who may not have the means to pay during their visit.  This means that your dollars serve to “Give a Night” to our guests.  For example:

$25 provides a one-night stay
$50 provides a weekend stay
$175 provides a one-week stay
$750 provides a one-month stay

Your donation is not limited to giving a night in a guests stay; rather, we would encourage you to tell us how you want to see your money used, whether it be to support the continuous and ongoing needs of our household, fund a specific project or house renovation, or in honor/memory of a loved one, we want your gift to be special for you. 

If you would like to learn more about our Community of Caring Campaign, discuss your funding options, or find out how you can create a special memorial please contact Jodi Jackson Tucker, executive director, at (919) 490-5449 x122 or via email at jodi_tucker@caringhouse.org

Donations of Items

On an average day there are over 40 individuals in our household.  This means that our household goes through a lot of everything from toilet paper to laundry detergent. And so we are always in need of supplies to keep us functioning on a daily basis.


Household
  • Toilet paper
  • Bounty paper towels
  • Dishwashing liquid
  • Automatic dishwashing powder
  • Soft Scrub
  • Spot Shot carpet cleaner
  • Lemon-scented Mr. Clean
Kitchen
  • Ziploc Bags
  • Toaster ovens
  • Toasters
  • Drinking glasses
  • New pots and pans
  • Dinnerware
  • Canned goods
Office
  • $.41 stamps
  • Flash Drives
  • Masking tape
  • Copy paper
Miscellaneous
  • 75-watt light bulbs
  • 20-inch televisions
  • Target Gift Cards
  • Prepaid phone cards
  • Videos or DVDs

If you would like to donate one or more of the items on this list please contact Christina Gerstel, office manager, at (919) 490-5449 x123 or via email at christina_gerstel@caringhouse.org

Donations of Time

Caring House is able to open its doors by keeping our overhead costs low through our team of dedicated volunteers.  We have a volunteer helping in our house from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. 

Most Caring House volunteers work one three-hour shift weekly between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. on a weekday.  During that time, they may:

  • Answer phones and receive visitors.
  • Give tours of the house.
  • Check guests in and out of the house.
  • On occasion, transport guests without a car to the grocery store, or other destination.
  • Clean out kitchen refrigerators to make room for the food of new guests.
  • Write thank you notes for small donations.
  • Fill bird feeders, water and prune houseplants, cut and deadhead roses, etc.
  • Sort and re-shelve books in library.
  • Help with mailings by addressing and stuffing envelopes.

Some people or groups may choose a single focus. Possibilities include:

  • Organizing games, such as bingo, for guests
  • Preparing and serving dinner for guests on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday night.
  • Helping with preparation of newsletter.
  • Working with committee chairmen on annual fundraisers.
  • Providing a musical evening for guests: singing or playing a musical instrument.
  • Participating in the Great Human Race for Caring House.
  • Reorganizing the kitchen area or doing special cleaning of other common areas (screened porch, terrace).

Or you may choose to help by becoming a weekend manager. It is our policy to have either a member of the Caring House staff or a representative of Caring House on site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Weekend managers receive a small stipend and stay at Caring House from 6:30 p.m. on a given Friday till 6:30 p.m. on Sunday of the same weekend.

As with our other forms of donations, we encourage you to make your volunteer role a good fit.  If you have questions or an idea on how you would like to help our house please contact Christina Gerstel, our office manager, at (919) 490-5449 x123 or via email at christina_gerstel@caringhouse.org

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Are donations tax-deductible?

Caring House is a North Carolina Non-Profit Corporation and is exempt from Federal income taxes under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. 

If you have questions about your donation, please contact Christina Gerstel, at (919) 490-5449 x123 or via email at christina_gerstel@caringhouse.org

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How do I donate an item to your auction?

Caring House receives the majority of our operating funds via our Fall Gala and our Summer Fling.  Our fall event is held here in Durham and our summer event is held at Atlantic Beach.  These two events bring members of our communities as well as local political, business, and academic leaders together for an evening of dining, music, laughter, and much caring! 

The success of these events is linked to the generosity of individuals, businesses, and merchants in our communities who donate items to be auctioned.

Beyond having their merchandise featured and seen by over 400 members of the community in which their business is located, Caring House continues to promote our community partners year round.  Our sponsors are noted in our publications, given time and space on our website, and highlighted in the press associated with our events.

If you or someone you know is interested in contributing an item, volunteering his or her trade/skill set as an item, or learning more about becoming a community partner, please contact Jodi Jackson Tucker, executive director, at (919) 490-5449 x122 or via email at jodi_tucker@caringhouse.org

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How can I stay informed about Caring House?

To be added to our mailing and/or email list please contact Christina Gerstel, Office Manager, at (919) 490-5449 x123 or via email at christina_gerstel@caringhouse.org

Also, click here to ensure that you receive our fall and spring newsletters via email to keep you up to date on all our happenings!

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