Kevin Guest House
The First Hospital Hospitality House
Buffalo, New York
Wayne Zimmerman, Executive Director

Kevin Guest House....Celebrating 35 Years of Service

In the very early 1970’s, Claudia and Cyril Garvey, from Sharon, Pennsylvania, traveled to Buffalo, New York to be with their son Kevin, who was a patient at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, where he was being treated for leukemia. Kevin was a young boy just nearing his thirteenth year at the time. The Garveys' were a fairly affluent family and could afford to stay in a hotel to be near their child during his time of need. However, they saw other families who were also visiting loved ones but were less able to afford adequate lodging. Sometimes, these people would sleep in the waiting room or even in their cars because they were from out of town and didn’t want to stay far from the loved one they were visiting. As Mr. Garvey was driving along the streets adjacent to the hospital, he came upon Ellicott Street and noticed a for sale sign on the front of house number 782. An idea began forming in his head and the idea became a reality when not long after, he purchased the property at 782 Ellicott Street. It didn’t take the Garvey’s long to put together the outline for what soon became America’s first Hospital Hospitality House.

Unfortunately, young Kevin Garvey lost his struggle with leukemia in January 1972. In a tribute to this courageous boy, the house was called Kevin Guest House. We would not exist today if it weren’t for the warmth, generosity and continued support of the Garvey Family.

The work of Kevin Guest House has continued for the past 35 years, serving over 36,000 people and all Buffalo area hospitals. Guests have hailed from nine different countries and represent all but two of the 50 states in America.

To learn more about Kevin Guest House, please visit www.kevinguesthouse.com.