In 2008, the Penrose-St. Francis Health Foundation worked collaboratively with HBA Cares to build the John Zay Guest House – affectionately known as “the house that love built.” Ten years later, the Foundation along with HBA Cares added 11 more suites to the John Zay Guest House to better meet the needs of patients and families we serve.

Here we are today with the Woody and Millie Ingram Guest House at St. Francis on the horizon. This hospitality home, located on the campus of the St. Francis Hospital, will welcome patients and families, provide respite and an opportunity for families to remain together during difficult, and oftentimes prolonged, treatments and care. Woody and Millie Ingram Guest House at St. Francis, much like the John Zay Guest House, will provide precisely what is needed – a place to sleep, shower, eat, pray and to find comfort, companionship and community specifically focused on families of our most fragile patients, our NICU babies, and patients undergoing cancer treatment.

Located on the northeast corner of Tejon and Madison, just across the street from Penrose Hospital, the John Zay Guest House is a 22 room and/or suite hospitality residence available for outpatients and families of patients receiving treatment at Penrose Hospital or Penrose Cancer Center. Named in honor of John Zay, a cancer floor chaplain at Penrose Hospital for more than fourteen years. 

This home-away-from-home for patients living 30 miles or more outside of Colorado Springs provides respite and an opportunity for families to remain together during treatment. The house provides precisely what is needed – a place to sleep, shower, eat, pray and to find comfort and companionship. Many of these families have very limited financial resources, and having to find and pay for lodging brings an additional burden.

Since its opening, the original John Zay Guest House has almost always been full, with a consistent waiting list of 7 to 10 families. There have been as many as 20 parties waiting for a room -enough to more than fill an entire second house.

This achievement is additionally significant, as the project was funded entirely by philanthropic donations made by individual donors and local-area foundations. The local Housing & Building Association, through their philanthropic arm “HBA Cares”, coordinated and secured $500,000 of donated services and materials.

This wonderful community asset is open and welcoming patients and their families – providing a place in close proximity to the hospital while their loved one receives the care and treatment they need.

The house is managed by Sister Lou Krippel and Mickey Zay, John Zay’s widow, and dedicated volunteers who console, pray and celebrate with house guests. A member of the National Association of Hospital Hospitality Houses Inc., the guest house is located at:

2131 North Tejon Street
Colorado Springs, CO 80907

Phone: 719-633-8855