The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK) Board of Directors along with representatives of the Mount Carmel Foundation and local supporters, broke ground in Pittsburg on Thursday, May 15, 2025 on Mount Carmel House, a 15,500 sq. ft., six-suite hospice for those in their final days of life.
Speakers for the event were Board Chair Jake Letner who welcomed guests and founding Board Member Daniel Minnis, DDS. Reverend Mike Simone, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, blessed the site of the future hospice.
Mount Carmel House will offer a place of comfort and compassion where individuals can spend their final days at no cost to them or their families, according to Board Chair Jake Letner.
“Guests will be supported in the house by the medical hospice provider of their choice,” said Letner, who explained that it will offer an alternative for those in homes not ideal for the individual or the family. “So many of our elderly live alone or their children — due to distance or their own age – struggle to provide the care their loved one needs,” he said.
“This innovative social model complements traditional medical hospice care by offering support in a home-like setting, through a network of trained volunteers and full-time staff serving both guests and families,” said CHC/SEK CEO Krista Postai. “I was fortunate to be part of the original Mt. Carmel Hospice that was started by Dr. Ken Zabel within the hospital,” she said, adding that she observed first-hand the impact it had on patients and families.
“We are still fortunate to have at least three medical hospice providers here in Pittsburg who provide incredible care in the home,” according to Postai. “However, many of our houses are not ideal for those in their last days making it challenging for all involved.”
CHC/SEK will employ a Hospice Director and Director of Volunteers/Development and provide ongoing support through its nursing, housekeeping, and maintenance departments. Volunteers will be at the heart of Mount Carmel House, offering emotional support, meals, lawn care, and more, according to Postai.
The home will include six private suites, each with a bathroom and patio, along with shared family living spaces, a kitchen, laundry area, and a non-denominational chapel. A garage will also double as a storm shelter for guests and staff.
The $8 million project is made possible through a $5 million congressional Community Project grant secured by Senator Jerry Moran and a $1 million donation from the Mount Carmel Foundation. Additional fund-raising to equip and furnish the facility and build the chapel will be spearheaded by Dr. Daniel and Mrs. Jeannette Minnis.
Mount Carmel House is being built on land generously donated by Dr. Marriyam Moten, with the entrance road named One Sheridan Way in honor of Mother Mary Sheridan, the Sister of St. Joseph who built the original Mt. Carmel Hospital in 1903. It is located just off 201 S. Rouse Street.
Construction is expected to be completed in 2026.