Hospice of the Chesapeake will open a new campus this fall at 90 Ritchie Highway in Pasadena. The property is across from the Pasadena Early Learning Center with part of the acreage backing up to Light Street Avenue in Severna Park.

An anonymous donation of $2.3 million enabled the Hospice of the Chesapeake to become landowners. The nonprofit, currently leasing office space on Defense Highway in Annapolis, purchased 6.2 acres of land in August 2011. 

Once the renovations are done, a new campus will open this fall with buildings housing the administrative offices, an educational conference center, grief counseling, crisis intervention and a host of other programs, said Sandra Anderson, director of communications for Hospice of the Chesapeake.

The centrally located property is convenient to Maryland Route 100 and the Baltimore Washington Medical Center.

"There were specific things we were looking for—like a campus environment with some some green space for grief support groups," she said.

There are multiple buildings that will house the corporate office, grief support center and, further in the future, an inpatient hospice unit, like the Tate and Mandrin houses.

The offices of Partners In Care, but not the newly expanded thrift store, have already moved over to the new campus. Barbara Huston, president and CEO of Partners In Care, said the move to the new building was her "Christmas miracle." She said Phil Gibbs, of Annapolis and Hamel Real Estate Developers, offered to manage the renovation while lining up about a dozen contractors who donated their time to get it ready.  

“We are seeking other nonprofits who do similar work [as hospice],” Anderson said, noting that the senior population needs the same services and this sharing of space and services would provide infrastructure to that population.

Hospice of the Chesapeake, known for their end-of-life care and support, helped more than 2,000 patients in their last six months of life from Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties. That was a record number, Anderson said.

The organization currently employs 190 people—of those, about 150 are administering direct patient care, counselors, nurses and social workers. There are 600 volunteers on our books, Anderson said. Two new pediatric support programs were launched in May 2011.

“We meet families where they are, and the most important thing is that we are their resource,” Anderson said. "We want to be that organization that when a neighbor needs something—we are there.”  

The Chesapeake Treasures thrift store in Park Plaza is run by hospice volunteers and benefits the Hospice of the Chesapeake.