25 years ago, the House of Kin opened its doors for the first time, and has been helping people ever since.  To date, the House of Kin has provided a home away from home for over 350,000 people.  

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In 1982, our president and founder, Chris Sheridan was leaving a board meeting at the Memorial Hospital, when he noticed people sleeping in their cars and in the chairs of the lobby.  Upon briefly investigating the situation, he discovered that these people were there supporting a friend or a family member who were undergoing specialized medical treatment, and could not afford regular hotel rates.  With the help of the local hotel/motel associations, the program's concept was developed and presented to the local Sudbury Kinsmen Club.  In the fall of 1983, the program began providing hotel rooms at a substantially lower cost to qualified applicants.  In the first year, the Kinsmen Club assisted 120 families, and in the second year, 280 families. 

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In 1997, after tireless efforts by the board of directors and volunteers, the foundation was able to purchase an existing motor hotel, the Grand Prix Inn, and changed the name to the House of / Maison de Kin.  This name reflects the true expression of family, and people who care and support one another; a quality provided for those staying at the facility. 

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In 2009, after the management and staff at the House of Kin conducted a survey of guests who stayed at the hotel, it was established that a few upgrades were necessary.  Through several fundraising ventures, including mail outs, grant applications, room sponsorship opportunities, and more, enough money was raised to complete an addition to the building.  A queen suite, a wheelchair accessible washroom, an elevator, a quiet room, a security system and an in-house guest laundry facility were all added to increase the home away from home feel of the hotel.  The main focus of the House of Kin is to allow our guests to comfortably afford to stay here, while recuperating, or supporting a loved one who is recuperating.  Some of our guests stay here for weeks, and some even months on end. Without the affordability of our facility, these prolonged stays could essentially drain the savings of our guests if they had to pay full hotel rate, or even worse, their loved one could have to go through this alone. 

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The primary beneficiaries of the House of Kin program are out of town patients and their family members. As well, many patients from out of town who are booked into the hospital for treatments, or surgeries, are able to stay as  out-patients in our centre. Therefore, our facility helps to improve room and bed availability in the hospital, for other patients who urgently need them.  When patients stay in our facility for recovery periods, they're able to be near their families and loved ones who can give them their full time assistance, care and attention to help with the recovery, diagnosis, or treatment process.