February 23, 2021

Kavanagh House on 56th Street Capital Campaign Raises $3.6M For Renovations

Thanks to donor support, EveryStep has reached its capital campaign goal to fund renovations at our Kavanagh House on 56th Street hospice home in Des Moines. Renovation work will begin in April. 

In late 2019, EveryStep supporters launched a $3.5 million capital campaign to restore, renovate and upgrade Kavanagh House on 56th Street. That goal has now been met and exceeded, raising $3,625,000 to update and improve the 27-year-old building and grounds. 

This significant accomplishment would not have been possible without the tremendous leadership of campaign co-chairs Deb and George Milligan; the generosity and commitment of the entire Kavanagh House Campaign Cabinet; the kind gifts from hundreds of donors, staff and volunteers; and the hard work of our EveryStep Foundation team.

"The generous contributions by financial pledges from EveryStep supporters will ensure that Kavanagh House can continue its legacy and maintain its reputation as central Iowa’s hospice home of choice,” said Deb Milligan, who also serves on the EveryStep Foundation Board of Trustees.

"We are excited for the renovation of Kavanagh House to begin and for the EveryStep community to see these wonderful and needed updates that will serve our patients and clients during a difficult time in their lives," Milligan continued. 

To learn more about the capital campaign and renovation plans, watch the video below: 

Renovation Plans 

Renovations of Kavanagh House on 56th Street will begin in April and will continue into the fall. Through the capital campaign, funds were raised for the building to receive major upgrades to medical equipment, technologies and patient amenities – all to improve patient care and comfort. Click the photo below to see our renovation brochure. 

Transition Plans 

During the renovation at Kavanagh House on 56th Street, EveryStep will continue to provide hospice house care in Des Moines. Hospice house patients will instead be served at EveryStep’s Bright Kavanagh Center Center (BKC) on Des Moines’ east side. 

Many changes have been made at BKC to prepare two wings and 14 patient rooms for hospice care, accommodate incoming hospice staff and relocate employees at BKC, and ready the building as it transitions from being primarily office space to an active healthcare facility.

EveryStep will begin to transition Kavanagh House on 56th Street patients to its Bright Kavanagh Center in March:

  • Beginning March 1, all EveryStep patients who need hospice house care in the Des Moines area will be admitted directly to BKC.
     
  • Beginning March 1, EveryStep will start to transfer current patients at Kavanagh House on 56th Street to BKC. All patients will be transitioned by mid-March with care and consideration.

About Bright Kavanagh Center

Bright Kavanagh Center was originally built as a hospice house in 2008 but has recently been used for administrative purposes. Two wings of the building – the Maytag Wing and the Glazer Burt Wing – offer 14 private patient rooms. The building’s Townsend Wing and lower level will continue to be used as staff offices and work areas. 
 
With multiple family areas and a large great room and dining area, Bright Kavanagh Center is a large and beautiful building, well-equipped to provide the peaceful care and comfort our hospice patients and families need. The building sits on a large lot that includes a walking trail, community garden, benches and a play area.
 
Bright Kavanagh Center will serve as the interim home for EveryStep’s Kavanagh House on 56th Street patients until renovations are completed this fall.