OUR IMPACT Keeping military and veteran families together
2019
When someone walks through the door of a Fisher House, we want them to know the American public appreciates their sacrifice, honors their service, and is there to help them in their time of need.
Love is good medicine Fisher Houses provide comfort and support for the family of the
19-year-old, combat-injured service member from our current battles as well as the families of veterans of past military campaigns. These homes didn’t exist when our WWII, Korean, and Vietnam veterans returned from war wounded, but Fisher House is For 30 years, Fisher Houses have provided “a home away from home”
there for them now and for generations to come.
at no cost to military and veterans’ families, allowing them to be together and part of the healing process while their loved ones receive specialized medical care at military and VA medical centers around the world.
a home away from home Since 1990, our impact on military families has been profound. There are 86 Fisher Houses operating around the world. We’ve served more than 400,000 military and veterans’ families with 9.5 million days of free lodging, part of $500 million in savings to families. On any given night, more than 1,200 families are offered lodging in a Fisher House.
Front cover: A Marine poses with his family at the VA St. Louis Medical Center Fisher House.
Nick Cantinna VI, at right, a former Coast Guard rescue swimmer, poses in the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital Fisher House in Tampa. Nick was in a coma after an accident, but his hard work in therapy has resulted in improvements to his speech and ability to walk.
FISHER HOUSES
Nadine and Lorenzo Cutchins share a love that has lasted for more than 37 years. Over the years, they have faced numerous medical emergencies both personally and within their family. Lorenzo, a veteran of the U.S. Army, suffered a bad back injury that caused chronic pain and faced a cancer diagnosis that required multiple bouts of radiation therapy. He was waking up at 3 a.m. to drive to the Washington, D.C. VA Medical Center for his care and driving home at 7 p.m. after an exhausting day of therapy or surgery. When Nadine learned about Fisher House, she was shocked at the care and comfort offered by the home and its staff. Now, the couple stays there anytime Lorenzo’s medical care makes it necessary, and Nadine cooks dinner for the other guests as often as she can.
The Cutchins Family
Since 1990, Fisher Houses have saved more than 400,000 military and veterans’ families more than $500 million.
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HERO PROGRAMS
The Hotels for Heroes program provides hotel rooms to the families of wounded, injured, and ill service members who are undergoing treatment at authorized medical centers when a Fisher House is not available. Rooms are made possible through the donation of rewards points and cash by the hotel’s rewards members. Donated homes and apartments are also available through Airbnb.
Hotel for Heroes and Hero Miles, which uses donated frequent flier miles to purchase airline tickets, have saved nearly $115 million for military families since inception.
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Air Force veteran Ashlee Wajer was the first person to use an Airbnb home through the Hotels for Heroes program. She needs a bone marrow transplant and every other month drives 600 miles for treatments. Her mom, Kathy, and son, Maverik, come with her. “We were trying to find any kind of resources that would help with hotels and transportation,” said Ashlee. “Fisher House came to my rescue through Airbnb. We have our own private space, and we have the means to cook. It’s been nice. I don’t know what we would do without Fisher House Foundation and its support through Airbnb,” Ashlee said.
Ashlee Wajer 7
Added in 2019
★ ★(2) ★ ★
Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center Albuquerque, NM
★(2) ★ ★ James J. Peters VA Medical Center (2 Houses) Bronx, NY
★(2) ★(2) ★
★ ★ ★
★
★★ ★ ★ ★ ★
HOUSES (and counting*) ACROSS 31 STATES, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND EUROPE
★
★ ★ ★ ★(2)
★
★
★
★★
★
★
★
★
★
VA Palo Alto Health Care System Palo Alto, CA
★ ★(4)
★(2) VA Maine Healthcare System Togus, ME
(5)★★
★★(2) ★ ★
★
Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center (2 Houses) Cleveland, OH
★
★
★
★(2) ★(2)
★
★
86 FISHER
★(2)
(3)★★
★(3)
★
★(2) ★
★ ★Birmingham, UK
★
★★(2) ★ = existing houses ★ = houses under construction Numbers in parentheses indicate multiple houses at one location.
★ ★
★(2)
Landstuhl, Germany
* As of December 31, 2019
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SCHOLARSHIPS
Penn State Senior Taylor Braum is studying biology and electrical engineering, and she wants to move on to a Ph.D. in neuroscience. Her college journey so far is possible thanks, in part, to Fisher House Foundation’s Heroes’ Legacy Scholarship which helps the children of service members who have died or been 100% disabled. “The ambition to go to college has always been there,” Taylor said. “However, going to college was never a sure thing because of the cost. The only reason I’m able to go to college is because of scholarships like [Heroes’ Legacy]. It made such a big difference.” Fisher House Foundation has awarded nearly $30 million in more than 14,000 students achieve their educational goals.
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PHOTO COURTESY OF GIVEWITH
scholarships, helping
Taylor Baum 11
FAMILY PROGRAMS
Adaptive sporting events, such as the Warrior Games and the Invictus Games, use the healing power of sport to inspire recovery and rehabilitation. Fisher House sponsors the Family and Friends Program at the games, ensuring that the families of our U.S. athletes can be there to cheer on their loved ones. The Padilla family, including 11-year-old son, Cayden; 8-year-old daughter, Evelyn; and their mom, Rhiannon, were able to cheer on Gunnery Sgt. Alexis Padilla at the most recent Invictus Games and Warrior Games. “Supporting us to allow my family to attend and cheer me on while I competed during the 2018 Invictus Games meant everything to me and my family,� says Alex Padilla.
Fisher House Foundation has supported every Warrior Games and Invictus Games since inception, bringing
The Padilla Family 12
families together to cheer on their loved ones as they show how far they have come.
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thanks to you... You make this program a success. Honoring the service and sacrifice of all those who have served in our nation’s uniform is a sacred responsibility. The families who serve by their side deserve our unflagging support during a medical crisis. Together, we meet this need across the country. Volunteers give their time and talent to ensure the Fisher Houses remain a warm and welcoming environment. Donors give the necessary resources to ensure this program will be there for
Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center—Richmond, VA (second house)
generations to come.
VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System—Denver, CO (replacement house)
In 2019, we expanded the Fisher House network from 79 homes to
Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System—New Orleans, LA
86, allowing us to better serve veterans in Ohio, California, New York, New Mexico, and Maine. Your generosity has helped families reach the bedside of injured service members, helped caregivers stay with their veterans during long hospital stays, and helped children reach their educational goals. We meet challenges together step-by-step, and we look forward to the opportunities that await.
our impact grows 14
HOUSES UNDER CONSTRUCTION:
VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System—Ann Arbor, MI Nebraska/Western Iowa Health Care System—Omaha, NE Huntington VA Medical Center—Huntington, WV
Fisher House Foundation, Inc. 12300 Twinbrook Pkwy Suite 410 Rockville, MD 20852 (888) 294-8560
www.fisherhouse.org