Check-in

During check-in, you should receive a copy of these rules, along with other information about your stay. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the front desk.

• New guests must check-in between 1:00 pm and 8:00 pm
• Returning guests must check-in between 1:00 pm and 9:00 pm
• New check-in procedure takes between 20-30 minutes and is mandatory
• Guests must confirm all personal information
• Guests must provide a first nights payment ($40.00 per night)
• All adults (18 and over) will be required to provide a photo ID
• Guests must review and sign in agreement with the House Rules
• All guests planning to stay must be present for initial review of House Rules
• A tour of the facilities will be provided
• Guests will be introduced to staff members

Check-out

Check-out time is by 11:00am. Please notify the front desk immediately when you are ready to depart so that your room can be prepared for another family. Guests neededing to check out later should make a request with the front desk, and they will let you know if a late check out can be accommodated. Any check-outs that take place after 11:00am will result in additional charges. The front desk staff can store your personal belongings in the luggage closet in the event that you have appointments later in the day or have plans to leave later in the evening. Please note that you will not be able to retrieve your luggage after 9:00pm. When you are ready to leave, please make sure you do the following:

• Check-out time is between 7:00 am and 11:00 am
• Guests must notify front desk of departure date or expected departure date
• Guests who need special check-out accommodations must speak with Manager on Duty
• Pack all of your belongings and perform a final sweep of the room to ensure you haven’t left anything behind.
• Check to ensure you haven’t accidentally packed Gift of Life Howie’s House linens or supplies with your belongings.
• Place your dirty towels in the laundry bag that is provided for you in the closet.
• Clean the refrigerator, if one was provided to you.
• Clear any voicemail messages on your room phone.
• Empty your storage locker and refrigerator cubby on the first floor.
• Visit the front desk to complete check-out and return any borrowed items.

Guests may not possess, use, or consume alcohol or illegal drugs at Gift of Life Howie’s House or on any Gift of Life Howie’s House property, including parking lots. Abuse of prescription drugs is also prohibited. Anyone found in possession of drugs or alcohol or who appears intoxicated will be asked to leave the House immediately.

Children are the sole responsibility of their parent or guardian. Volunteers, staff and other families are not permitted to supervise or babysit children of guests. Any damage or vandalism to the facility caused by a child will be the responsibility of their parent or guardian.

• Children under 16 – Must be accompanied at all times by a parent or guardian while on Gift of Life Howie’s House property.
• Children ages 16-17 – May use common areas of Gift of Life Howie’s House, with the exception of the kitchen, without the presence of a parent or guardian; however a parent or guardian must remain on the premises.
• Children ages 18-20 – Permitted on the premises without supervision during the hours of 8 am to 9 pm. From 9 pm to 8 am, a parent or guardian must be present at the House.

Please help us to ensure that you receive your phone calls, mail, and messages by letting us know if you plan to stay at the hospital for extended periods of time during your stay. Please be aware that calls cannot be transferred between 10pm – 7am. A bulletin board located in the kitchen area will notify you of activities and news related to Gift of Life Howie’s House. Mail & messages can be collected at the front desk. Please ensure that any mail you are receiving has your first and last name as it appears in our records so that we can properly receive it.   

There is a desktop and printer on the second floor available for your use. Please limit your time to 20 minutes while others are waiting.

Gift of Life Howie’s House provides free wireless internet to guests. The password for the network can be found in your room and can be provided at the front desk. Upon logging on to the internet from your own computer or phone, you will be prompted to read and accept our technology use policy and must do so before you can access the internet.

Violation of any Gift of Life Howie’s House rules or policies will result in appropriate action by management, up to and including removal from the House and loss of consideration for future opportunities to stay here. In addition, the following types of behavior are considered inappropriate and may result in removal from the premises:

• Violence of any kind
• Profanity
• Physical punishment
• Excessive displays of affection in common areas
• Loud or disruptive conduct
• Any criminal activity
• Possession of weapons (Please refer to Weapons section for further information)
• Conduct that may make guests and staff uncomfortable

If you see a violation of Gift of Life Howie’s House rules or policies, or any of the above types of behavior, please report it immediately to the Manager on Duty.

Parking

Guests are permitted to park one vehicle in the House lot free of charge. You must provide vehicle details at check-in or when the vehicle is present on Gift of Life Howie’s House property. Any cars not registered to a guest or visitor will be towed at the owner’s expense. Although Gift of Life Howie’s House lot is in a gated community, we highly encourage you to keep your car locked at all times. Gift of Life Howie’s House is not responsible for damage to or theft of cars in the lot.

Each family will be provided one secure parking space.

• Gift of Life is not responsible for damaged or stolen items
• Your car must be registered with staff upon arrival
• Visitors and volunteers are able to use the parking areas if there is space available

Directions

From North (Langhorne, Trenton, Northeast Philadelphia)

• Take I-95 S toward Center City Philadelphia
• Take the Callowhill St. exit (Exit 22) toward I-676 E/ US 30 E/Independence Hall
• Turn right onto Callowhill St.
• Gift of Life Howie’s House located at 401 Callowhill St. will be on your right

From South (Delaware)

• Take I-496 N ramp toward Port of Wilmington/ Philadelphia
• Merge onto I-495 N and then stay straight and go onto I-95 N
• Take I- 676/US-30 exit (Exit 22) on the left toward Center City Philadelphia/Independence Hall/Callowhill St.
• Take the exit towards I-676 E/US-30 E/Ben Franklin Bridge/ Independence Hall/Callowhill St.
• Stay straight onto Callowhill St.
• Gift of Life Howie’s House located at 401 Callowhill St. will be on your right

From East (Southern New Jersey)

• Take I-676N/US-30 W via the ramp on the left towards the Ben Franklin Bridge
• Take the 5th St. Exit which will be immediately on your right as you come off the bridge
• Keep left at the fork in the ramp. Turn slight right onto N. 5th St.
• Turn right onto Willow St. (Willow St. is a ½ block past Callowhill St.)
• Take the 1st right onto N. 4th St. and take the 1st right onto Callowhill St.
• Gift of Life Howie’s House located at 401 Callowhill St. will be on your right

From West (King of Prussia)

• Take Route 76/Schuylkill Expressway and follow signs for 676 East/Center City
• Take the I-676 E/ Benjamin Franklin Bridge Exit
• Keep left to take Vine St. Expressway/I-676E/US-30 East via Exit 344 toward Central Philadelphia
• Take the 8th St. Exit and turn right onto N. 8th St. (If you reach Vine St. you’ve gone a little too far.)
• Take the 1st left onto Vine St. (If you reach Race St. you’ve gone about .1 miles too far.)
• Turn left onto N. 7th St./N. Franklin St.
• Continue to follow N. 7th St. and turn right onto Willow St. (Willow St. is a ½ block past Callowhill St.)
• Turn right onto N. 4th St. and take the 1st right onto Callowhill St. You will see Gift of Life Howie’s House on your right.

All guests and visitors are expected to dress appropriately for a family-friendly environment. Guests must be fully clothed at all times, including in the fitness center. Examples of inappropriate clothing for common areas include clothing that displays offensive symbols or language, pajamas, robes, exposed midriffs, sports bras (without shirt), bare feet, and bathing suits. Gift of Life Howie’s House reserves the right to ask guests to change their clothes if they are deemed inappropriate.
All guests and visitors are expected to maintain acceptable personal hygiene for a communal environment, including specifically cigarette smoke odor. Gift of Life Howie’s House reserves the right to ask guests to address such issues if they are deemed inconsiderate to staff or other guests.

The fitness center is open from 7:00am until 10:00pm. A list of rules is posted inside the fitness center must be followed at all times. Children who are 13 and under are not permitted in the fitness center. Guests ages 14 through 17 are permitted to use the fitness center when accompanied by a responsible adult. Cell phone use is not permitted inside the fitness center.

Preparation of food and beverages is permitted in the kitchen area only. The kitchen is open for use 24 hours a day. However, ovens and stovetops are not to be used between 9:00pm – 7:00am. Microwaves are permitted throughout the night. Consumption of food and beverages is not permitted in guest bedrooms with the exception of water and ice. Each guest room is assigned a dry storage cubby located on the first floor as well as a refrigerator cubby located behind the kitchen.

Guests aged 16 and over are permitted to use the kitchen and are expected to clean the kitchen area immediately after use. This includes cleaning counters, tables, stovetops, ovens, sinks, floors, dishes, utensils, and appliances.

At check-out, guests should take their food home with them, dispose of it, or, if unopened, donate it to Gift of Life Howie’s House for general use.

Medicine and breast milk cannot be stored in the kitchen. Guests who need to refrigerate medicine or breast milk should contact the front desk to make accommodations. 

Dinner is provided at no additional cost through our Home Cook Heroes Program. Dinner is served between the hours of 6:00pm and 8:00pm. Any leftovers after dinner service can be found in the community refrigerator. This program is staffed by volunteers and the meal provided is optional. Please monitor your own dietary restrictions and/or preferences prior to consuming. 

Certain video game systems may be loaned to guests for use in the lounges or activity center. Guests who wish to borrow such a system is required to leave their state- or federal-issued photo identification with a Front Desk Attendant. These items can be loaned out to someone over age 18, and between the hours of 7:00am and 10:00pm.

Guests are responsible for keeping their guestroom clean. Maximum room occupancy is determined at the discretion of management and is generally limited to 2 people per queen bed, with 2 beds per room. Nothing should be taken out of the room, including blankets and towels.

While every effort will be made to ensure the comfort and privacy of guests, management reserves the right to enter guest rooms at any time and without prior notice. If you have a maintenance issue such as a clogged drain or burned-out light bulb, please notify the front desk between 7:00am – 9:00pm so that it may be addressed.

Please note that our housekeeping staff will enter the room once every 14 days to do a mandatory basic cleaning.

Eligibility to stay at Gift of Life Howie’s House is dictated by the medical needs of the patient requiring evaluation and/or treatment at Philadelphia-area medical facilities, as well as the occupancy levels of the House. As long as a medical need exists which is substantiated by the transplant center providing evaluation or treatment, guests may be permitted to stay at Gift of Life Howie’s House. Approval of prolonged stays is also based on frequency of appointment schedules. Guests with transplant related appointments on 2 or more days in any week may be eligible to stay until the day after their last appointment.

Gift of Life Howie’s House management reserves the right conduct eligibility reviews of all guests at any time, but a minimum of every 14 days, to assess levels of need and make recommendations for alternative housing. Families not meeting eligibility requirements will be asked to leave the House within 24 hours.

The maximum stay for any guest meeting eligibility requirements is 9 months consecutively. After 9 months of consecutive stay at the House, guests will be assisted in finding alternative living arrangements.

No Admission to Gift of Life Howie’s House

I understand that if at any time during my stay a member of my party is diagnosed with, or is suspected of having, any of the following illnesses: Chicken Pox and Shingles (aka Varicella), Measles and Rubella (German Measles), Whooping Cough (Pertussis), Mumps, C. difficile, aka C diff, diff colitis, pseudomembranous colitis, Norovirus, Head Lice, Bed Bugs, Other Serious Infectious Illness (1) I will immediately notify Gift of Life Howie’s House Manager on Duty; (2) the affected individual will check-out of Gift of Life Howie’s House and seek appropriate treatment; and (3) the remaining members of my party, if any, will practice social distancing until those individuals have been cleared by a physician.

Isolation at Gift of Life Howie’s House

I understand that if at any time during my stay a member of my party is diagnosed with, or is suspected of having, any of the following illnesses: Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye), Hepatitis A, Strep Throat, Fever, Diarrhea, Vomiting, Other Infectious Illness (1) I will immediately notify Gift of Life Howie’s House Manager on Duty; and (2) the affected individual and all other members of my party will practice social distancing until a physician certifies, in writing, that the individual is no longer contagious.

Needle Usage  

I understand that it is my responsibility to dispose of needles in an appropriate container and ensure that they are removed from the premises. I understand that needles and related medical treatment materials MAY NOT be disposed of in any trash receptacle at Gift of Life Howie’s House. I understand that I am responsible if I, or a member of my party, improperly dispose of needles or related medical treatment materials at Gift of Life Howie’s House.

Gift of Life Howie’s House will provide you with up to two key cards to be used only by guests ages 18 and up. Please keep this key card with you as you will need it to access the pedestrian and vehicle gates, vestibule, and your guestroom. In the event your key card is lost, please see the front desk to have it replaced. Key cards are only for registered overnight guests.

Guests are responsible for doing their own laundry during their stay. The laundry facilities are located on the lower level of the building and is open 24 hours a day. Guests can gain access using their key card. Machines are free of charge and detergent is provided through donations. Guests may not use more than one washer and dryer at a time while others are waiting.

Gift of Life Howie’s House employees and volunteers are not permitted to provide, dispense, or administer medication. Medication must be stored in guest rooms. If your medication requires refrigeration, please make arrangements with management prior to your arrival so that a portable refrigerator, if available, may be placed in your room. You will be responsible for cleaning the refrigerator prior to check-out.

Needles should be kept in your room at all times and in a container designed for sharps storage. Never dispose of needles at Gift of Life Howie’s House. They must be taken with you when you leave.

Any items delivered for you prior to your arrival will be stored in the luggage closet. You must retrieve these items upon arrival and take them to your room. Staff will not transport these items, medical or otherwise, to your room at any point.

If you are nursing, you should contact Gift of Life Howie’s House in advance of your stay so that a portable refrigerator, if available, may be placed in your room for breast milk storage. Breast milk cannot be stored in community refrigerators. You will be responsible for cleaning the refrigerator prior to check-out.

Guests are permitted to park one vehicle in the House lot free of charge. You must provide vehicle details at check-in or when the vehicle is present on Gift of Life Howie’s House property. Any cars not registered to a guest or visitor will be towed at the owner’s expense. Although Gift of Life Howie’s House lot is in a gated community, we highly encourage you to keep your car locked at all times. Gift of Life Howie’s House is not responsible for damage to or theft of cars in the lot.

Pets are not permitted at Gift of Life Howie’s House. Pets also cannot be left in vehicles in Gift of Life Howie’s House parking lot.

Guest may encounter sensitive or private information during the course of their stay. Guests must always respect the privacy of others at Gift of Life Howie’s House and should not discuss any such information outside of Gift of Life Howie’s House. Guests must obtain permission before including other guests, staff, volunteers, or visitors in photography or videography made on Gift of Life Howie’s House premises.

Quiet hours are between 9:00pm and 9:00am. Quiet hours apply to all areas of the House including the patio and parking lot. At 10:00pm, the manager-on-duty will shut the lights off in the common areas of the House.

Gift of Life Howie’s House asks that guests pay a fee of $40 per night, per room. If you are unable to pay this fee, we will refer you to our social work department, so that other arrangements can be made. If you are eligible to have a third party pay your fees, Gift of Life Howie’s House will send billing statements directly to the third party for you.

Gift of Life Howie’s House will collect the first night’s fee at check-in and subsequent payments should be made every 10 days. A final payment will be made during check-out. Management will review financial statements of guests every 10 days to ensure that accounts are up to date. Payment can be made by cash or credit card (checks will only be accepted at the discretion of management).

For the safety of you and your fellow guests, doors are never to be propped open, or opened for anyone not in your party. Entrance to Gift of Life Howie’s House is limited to the front door only. Staff and/or security may ask for your name or to see your wristband prior to buzzing you into the building. In the event of an emergency, please call 911 and notify management immediately. Guests are not permitted to use lighters, candles, incense, or other open-flame items at Gift of Life Howie’s House.

Smoking, vaping, and other nicotine or tobacco use is prohibited at Gift of Life Howie’s House and on the House property, including parking areas. If you wish to smoke or use tobacco, you must use the designated smoking area in the Northwest section of the parking lot, and must dispose of any waste (e.g., cigarette butts) in the proper receptacle.

Gift of Life Howie’s House will provide limited van service, when available, following a regular schedule of pick-ups and drop-offs at transplant centers in the Philadelphia-area, and the House itself. Gift of Life Howie’s House will not guarantee transportation. Information and contact numbers for local taxi companies and other car services will be available at the front desk. This information can also be found in the guest services directories located in each guest room.

Visiting hours are from 9:00am to 9:00pm, and all visitors are required to abide by the Illness Policy. Your visitors must sign in at the front desk and tell staff who they are visiting. They will be required to wear a wristband indicating that they are a visitor. Registered guests are responsible for the actions of their visitors and must greet their visitors at the front desk before they will be allowed into the House. Visitors are restricted to the first floor of the House, Activity Center, and no more than four (4) individuals total may be in the guest room. All visitors must be accompanied at all times by a registered guest. If your visitor wishes to stay overnight, they must check in with the front desk by 8:00pm and comply with room occupancy limits.

Possession of weapons, including, but not limited to, firearms, ammunition, hunting knives, and switchblades, is prohibited at Gift of Life Howie’s House and on the House property, including parking areas. This does not apply to active-duty law enforcement.  

You will be given a wristband when you check in at Gift of Life Howie’s House that must be worn for the duration of your stay. If your wristband comes off, or becomes loose, bring it to the front desk so that it can be replaced. You may be stopped by staff or security to confirm that you are wearing the wristband. This is to ensure proper registration has been complete for the health and safety of all at Gift of Life Howie’s House.