Facility to Provide Free Lodging for Families of VA Patients
WASHINGTON – Safe, comfortable and affordable housing for families of veterans being treated by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in Dallas moved closer to reality with VA’s decision to accept a new Fisher House there. The house provides free lodging to the families of VA patients.
“Once again, the Fisher House Foundation is stepping forward to ease the lives of veterans and their families during times of great need,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson. “This compassionate gift will enable our patients to focus upon their treatment and permit them to receive the full benefit of VA’s world-class care.”
The new Fisher House will be built on the grounds of VA medical center in Dallas. Construction is scheduled to begin this year, along with a previously announced Fisher House at the VA medical center in Richmond, Va. Secretary Nicholson also recently announced plans to construct new Fisher Houses in Boston and Seattle.
“We are honored to be able to help America’s veterans and their families,” said Fisher House Foundation Chairman Ken Fisher. “While our number one priority continues to be those service men and women wounded in Iraq or Afghanistan, these new facilities will also benefit veterans of all of our nation’s conflicts.”
Nicholson expresses his gratitude to Ken Fisher, whose Foundation has built multi-family living facilities at VA medical centers and military health care facilities that allow families to be with their loved ones during lengthy medical treatments and rehabilitation.
Nicholson travels to San Antonio on Monday, Jan. 29, to open a new Center for the Intrepid and two new Fisher Houses at BrookeArmyMedicalCenter. VA and Department of Defense (DoD) have partnered together on the new Center for the Intrepid, a world-class rehabilitation facility focused on medical and rehabilitative care of wounded warriors and veterans injured in service to America.
Fisher Houses are built through public donations and contributions from the Fisher House Foundation. VA assumes responsibility for operating costs of the finished homes.
Currently, VA has eight Fisher Houses in Albany, N.Y.; Bay Pines, Fla.; Cincinnati; Denver; Houston; Minneapolis; Palo Alto, Calif.; and West Palm Beach, Fla. Another Fisher House is under construction in Tampa, with completion due early this year.
