Fisher House Foundation

Fisher House Foundation is a not-for-profit organization established in 1990 by Zachary Fisher and his wife Elizabeth Fisher. The foundation provides "comfort homes" for families of patients receiving medical care at major military and Veterans Affairs medical centers. These homes are built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers, allowing families to be close to their loved ones during a medical crisis.

History[edit | edit source]

The Fisher House Foundation was established in 1990 by Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher. Zachary Fisher, a prominent figure in the real estate industry in New York, was inspired to start the foundation after learning about the need for family support in the military community. The first Fisher House was opened in 1991 at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

Mission and Services[edit | edit source]

The primary mission of the Fisher House Foundation is to provide a "home away from home" for families of patients receiving medical care at major military and VA medical centers. The homes are usually located within walking distance of the treatment facility or have transportation available.

In addition to providing housing, the Fisher House Foundation also operates the Hero Miles Program, which uses donated frequent flyer miles to bring family members to the bedside of injured service members. They also manage the Hotels for Heroes program which provides hotel rooms to the families of wounded, injured, and ill military service members.

Impact[edit | edit source]

Since its inception, the Fisher House Foundation has served more than 400,000 families, and has provided over nine million days of lodging. The foundation operates over 90 Fisher Houses throughout the United States and Europe.

Funding[edit | edit source]

The Fisher House Foundation relies on public donations to fund its operations. The foundation also receives support from various corporate partners, individual donors, and other non-profit organizations.