Fisher House Foundation and the Department of Veterans Affairs are on track to open six new Fisher Houses across the U.S. in 2020, allowing more than 100 more families to stay in safe, comfortable lodging for free on any given night while their loved one undergoes care at VA medical centers.
With the opening of the sixth house in Huntington, West Virginia in the Fall, the Fisher House network of comfort homes will reach 91 houses in operation at military and VA medical centers.
The five houses that already opened in 2020 are in Ann Arbor, Michigan; Omaha, Nebraska; New Orleans, Louisiana; Richmond, Virginia; and Aurora, Colorado. The Richmond VA Fisher House is the second one at the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center. The new house in Aurora, the Rocky Mountain VA Fisher House, replaces an older house from 1993 that was originally built to serve a now-closed Army hospital.
“VA values our partnership with Fisher House Foundation in helping us to keep the nation’s promise to our veterans,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “The new Fisher Houses will offer comfort and support to veterans and their families as they face challenging times. We are honored to offer them a home away from home.”
Fisher Houses are built to last decades and will continue to offer comfort and support to veteran and military families for many years to come.
“The challenges for military and veteran families dealing with medical crisis during the COVID-19 haven’t stopped and, in some cases, have increased,” said Chairman and CEO of Fisher House Foundation Ken Fisher. “While maintaining proper safety measures, we have been able to keep growing the network of Fisher Houses. These new homes address recognized needs in communities across the U.S., providing safe and comfortable accommodations to those who have served us in other times of national need.”
Fisher House Foundation works with local VA hospitals and communities to build the comfort homes and then donates them to the Department of Veterans Affairs which then takes over the care and management of each home. When the Hershel “Woody” Williams VA Medical Center Fisher House in Huntington, West Virginia opens this Fall, there will be 49 Fisher Houses serving as part of VA healthcare systems. The other 42 Fisher Houses serve military hospitals.
There is one other Fisher House currently under construction at a VA medical center. The Kansas City VA Medical Center Fisher House will be in Kansas City, Missouri. The medical center there serves over 40,000 veterans annually, and the 16-suite Fisher House is expected to serve over 600 families each year.
There are plans to begin new houses in 2021 including a second house in Bay Pines, Florida and houses in Lexington, Kentucky and Columbia, South Carolina.
About Fisher House Foundation
Fisher House Foundation is best known for its network of 90 comfort homes where military and veteran families can stay at no cost while a loved one is receiving treatment. These homes are located at major military and VA medical centers nationwide, and in Europe, close to the medical center or hospital they serve. Fisher Houses have up to 21 suites, with private bedrooms and baths. Families share a common kitchen, laundry facilities, a warm dining room, and an inviting living room. Fisher House Foundation ensures that there is never a lodging fee. Since inception, the program has saved military and veteran families an estimated $500 million in out of pocket costs for lodging and transportation. www.fisherhouse.org
