The ribbon was cut today for two Fisher Houses serving the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center. The homes offer free lodging for up to 32 families on any given night, allowing them to be close to their loved ones at the most stressful time – during hospitalization at the VA Medical Center.
Lisa M. Pape, Deputy Chief Officer, Patient Care Services, Care Management Chaplain, andSocial Work, VA Central Office and Fisher House Foundation Chairman and CEO Ken Fisher joined VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System Director Susan M. Fuehrerfor the dedication and celebration of the opening of the new homes.
These homes will serve more than 112,600 veterans across Northeast Ohio and the country. Each Fisher House creates an instant community for its residents, united by their common mission of supporting a sick or injured loved one, while also providing families with a secure and private refuge after a long day at the hospital to rest and recharge.
“VA is grateful to Fisher House Foundation and the entire Cleveland community for bringing two Fisher Houses to support the VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System. Veterans and their families traveling for care will experience a comfortable home away from home when they need it the most,” said Pape.
The two 16-suite, 13,000+ sq.-ft.comfort homes will join the 80+ other Fisher Houses operating in the United States and Europe. Each bedroom suite will be equipped with a private, handicapped-accessible bathroom. Common areas will include a spacious kitchen, large communal living, dining and family rooms, laundry room and patio.
“We are privileged to open not one but two houses to meet the overwhelming need. As a national and regional referral center, we treat veterans from across Northeast Ohio and the country. The families of these veterans can now be nearby in the comfort of their “home away from home” because of our generous, supportive community,” said Fuehrer.
Veterans travel long distances to receive specialized and life-saving medical care form Cleveland VA Medical Center. Without a free room available at Fisher House, the high cost of lodging could be a barrier to getting the care they deserve. Each year, the two 16-suite Fisher Houses will provide lodging thousands of families each year, saving them more than $1.5 million annually.
“In my life, there have been few things I have been associated with that bring me more pride and satisfaction than Fisher House Foundation,” said Fisher. “When a wife tells me that being near her husband saved his life and she could never have done that without a Fisher House, I am touched beyond words. But we didn’t do this in a vacuum. Fisher Houses are built on partnerships. It is our donors that make this possible and I thank them and VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System for partnering with Fisher House to care for our military, veterans and their families.”
Construction of these Fisher Houses was supported by: Greater Cleveland Fisher House; Burning River Lacrosse; Disabled Veterans Association; Cardinal Health Foundation; The Catherine L. & Edward A. Lozick Foundation; Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation; Eaton; The Harry Donovan Family/Akron Community Foundation; The Joyce and Herbert Stielau Foundation; KeyBank Foundation; The Lincoln Electric Foundation; The Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation; Team Fisher House Fundraisers; The TurtleCon Fund; Vehicles for Veterans;and the many gifts of a grateful nation.