Ahead of Veterans Day, Airbnb.org is expanding its support for service members, veterans and their families through a series of new partnerships. Airbnb.org is partnering with Fisher House Foundation and Operation Healing Forces to provide free stays for service members, veterans and their families who must travel for medical treatment, and with Dream Foundation to support veterans facing terminal or life-limiting illness.
Airbnb.org, a nonprofit founded by Airbnb to provide emergency housing in times of crisis, is expanding support for US military veterans, service members and their families through new partnerships with Fisher House Foundation, Operation Healing Forces and Dream Foundation.
There are nearly 16 million US military veterans. Every year, tens of thousands of families in the military community need temporary accommodations to stay close to their loved ones during medical treatment.
Through the new partnerships, Fisher House Foundation and Operation Healing Forces will identify veterans and service members who are receiving medical treatment that requires them to travel away from home for long periods and connect them with a free Airbnb stay through Airbnb.org. This support eases a significant cost burden and makes it easier for families to stay together while their loved one receives medical care.
Dream Foundation’s Dreams for Veterans program facilitates end-of-life Dreams—such as special experiences—for veterans who face terminal or life-limiting illness and their families. Airbnb.org will provide free stays for veterans and their families traveling through the program, helping families experience more of their trip together.
“Military veterans and service members proudly served our country, and now we have the opportunity to serve them during some of life’s most difficult moments,” said Christoph Gorder, Executive Director at Airbnb.org. “We’re proud to partner with Fisher House Foundation, Operation Healing Forces and Dream Foundation to provide free stays for members of the military community. Having a free comfortable home to stay in can help families focus on their loved one’s care and comfort.”
“When medical care requires weeks or months away from home, having a comfortable place to stay can make a world of difference,” said Ken Fisher, Chairman and CEO of Fisher House Foundation. “We are grateful to Airbnb.org for helping service members, veterans, and their families stay close through these longer journeys. This partnership will give families a place to settle in, recharge, and focus on what matters most: their loved one’s recovery.”
“The families of America's Special Operations Forces have made extraordinary sacrifices in service to our nation, and ensuring they have access to meaningful support during times of need is a responsibility we can all share,” said Kerry Irvin, Chief Executive Officer of Operation Healing Forces. “A serious medical diagnosis can bring unexpected challenges, from financial uncertainty to the stress of being away from home and loved ones. With more than 14,000 members of America’s Special Ops community projected to receive assistance through our programs by the end of 2026, the need for compassionate, accessible support is clear. Through our partnership with Airbnb.org, we are helping remove some of those obstacles by providing a place where families can stay together, find comfort, and focus on healing. This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to honoring those who have sacrificed so much by ensuring they are cared for when they need it most.”
"Airbnb.org's tremendous generosity has made an immediate impact, supporting end-of-life Dreams for terminally-ill adults including veterans and service members," says Kisa Heyer, Dream Foundation's Chief Executive Officer. "Nearly 45% of Dream requests include travel that necessitates lodging. Airbnb.org's support will allow us to serve these Dreams and allow us to accommodate large and extended families that may not have otherwise been able to share in the experience and precious memories."
These new partnerships build upon Airbnb.org’s existing support for veterans, including its work with Team Rubicon, a veteran-led humanitarian organization, where Airbnb.org provides free temporary housing to volunteers deploying to support relief efforts following natural disasters.
How it works
Airbnb.org leverages the Airbnb platform to connect people who need a place to stay with Airbnb homes, enabling guests to book homes that meet their needs—things like pet-friendly homes, accessibility features, kitchens, washing machines and dryers, or backyards where kids can play. All stays are offered at no cost to guests and funded by Airbnb.org.
Service members, veterans and their families can request support by contacting:
- Fisher House Foundation: www.fisherhouse.org
- Operation Healing Forces: 727-631-9713 or info@ophf.org
- Dream Foundation: 888-4DREAMS or dreams@dreamfoundation.org
How to help
Anyone interested in supporting can visit Airbnb.org to:
- Donate to Airbnb.org—100 percent of donations go directly toward connecting people in crisis with emergency housing.
- If you're an Airbnb host, you can sign up to provide discounted Airbnb.org stays.
Through a new funding model announced in October, Airbnb donates a portion of each stay to Airbnb.org, helping the nonprofit expand its work to more situations where free temporary stays can provide comfort and stability in times of crisis.
About Airbnb.org
Airbnb.org is a nonprofit organization founded by Airbnb that connects people to free emergency housing in times of crisis. Airbnb.org pays for stays, leverages the Airbnb platform, and taps into Airbnb’s global community of hosts. Airbnb covers all Airbnb.org’s operating costs and makes no money on Airbnb.org stays. This means 100% of donations directly fund stays for people in need of emergency housing. Since 2020, Airbnb.org has provided 1.6 million nights of free, temporary housing in nearly 140 countries around the world.
About Fisher House
Fisher House Foundation is best known for its network of more than 100 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 facilities nationwide and in Europe, close to the medical facilities they serve. Fisher Houses have up to 20 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 $690 million in out-of-pocket costs for lodging and transportation. Fisher House Foundation also operates the Hero Miles Program using donated frequent flyer miles to bring family members to the bedside of injured service members as well as the Hotels for Heroes program using donated hotel points to allow family members to stay at hotels near medical centers without charge. The Foundation also manages an awards program recognizing programs that support military and veteran communities and scholarship funds for military children, spouses, and children of fallen and disabled veterans. www.fisherhouse.org
About Operation Healing Forces
Founded in 2011, Operation Healing Forces (OHF) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to serving America’s wounded, ill, injured, and fallen Special Operations Forces service members, veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors. Through a comprehensive suite of programs, including Therapeutic Retreats and the Special Operations Additional Resources (SOAR) Program, OHF provides critical assistance, strengthens relationships, and promotes long-term mental, physical, emotional, and fiscal well-being. Guided by its vision of Creating Bonds That Cure, OHF is committed to providing meaningful, lasting support to those who have sacrificed so much in service to our nation. To learn more, visit www.operationhealingforces.org.
About Dream Foundation
Dream Foundation, the only national dream-granting organization for terminally-ill adults, fulfills final Dreams that provide joy, comfort and closure at the end of life. With the support of a nationwide network of volunteers, hospices, health care organizations and committed donors, the organization has served more than 35,000 final Dreams over the last 32 years. Dream Foundation has Charity Navigator’s four-star rating—its highest—for sound and transparent fiscal management assuring its donors and partners that their investment will be used wisely. Dream Foundation receives no state or federal funding, relying on individual and corporate donations. To support the mission please visit DreamFoundation.org/donate.
About Airbnb
Airbnb was born in 2007 when two hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 5 million hosts who have welcomed over 2 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, hosts offer unique stays, experiences, and services that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way.
