Samaritan Housing Fund

Fund Purpose
Support the housing needs of patients and their loved ones who have to travel from further than one hour away to receive critical life-saving care. The type of care they receive demands that they stay in Gainesville and are unable to stay in their homes. It is the Donor's preference that $20,000 be used for neurology/neurosurgery patients. The fund is limited to UF Health Neurosurgery, Trauma, and Transplant patients and their families/caregivers. The patient must be 22 years or older to qualify. However, special exceptions can be made by the social worker as needed. Patients and families who qualify for lodging at the Ronald McDonald House or the Winn-Dixie Hope Lodge do not qualify for funding from the Samaritan Housing Fund. If an exception has been made due to lack of housing at either the Ronald McDonald House or the Hope Lodge, the patients and/or families must relocate to the Ronald McDonald House or Hope Lodge once rooms there are made available. Guests must live at least one hour or more away from the Gainesville, Florida area. Guests must have a referral from the hospital/clinic or a doctor's office. Referrals may also be obtained from a patient representative, social worker, chaplain or nurse. Referrals may be accepted from doctors, hospitals, and other medical personal outside of the UF Health system as long as the patient is a also a UF Health patient. A social worker will complete a referral form (the Shands Department of Patient and Family Resources Housing Application) to access this fund. A completed referral does not guarantee financial help to obtain a room. Funding is for one room per patient. Funding is limited to patients and immediate family/loved ones. This fund may also provide housing for necessary patient-care providers. Funding is on a first-come, first-serve basis. This fund is primarily for patients in medical crisis and patients who require extended stay housing. Special exceptions may be made by the social worker based on extenuating circumstances, such as providing patients with necessary gas money, food money, etc. Guests may stay up to 14 days; however the social worker and the family will continue to communicate about the need for housing. AU authorizations after 14 days will require another assessment to determine if the guests remain eligible for assistance from this fund. When a patient is released to return to his or her home and there is no medical reason for remaining in the area, funding for the room will be terminated regardless of the time frame that has been authorized. All patients and families will be asked to participate in payment, final funding will be determined by a sliding fee scale to be determined by the social worker assigned to the patient's case. All income must be disclosed when applying for assistance. Falsifying or withholding information is an abuse of the fee scale and may result in no further support from the Samaritan Housing Fund.