Fisher House Outside of the US

The Fisher House foundation is a charity established in 1990 by Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher, which works to support America’s military and family of members of the various branches of the American military. It constructs new houses at every major medical center, providing support for injured members family and friends when they are visiting. On top of this, the foundation has started expanding overseas and setting up houses in other countries to support people affected by military life in other places. These houses are based on the sites of American hospitals in other countries or set up by partner organizations, and they also depend on charitable donations.

In the UK, Fisher House UK assists the work of Help for Heroes, an organization that already raises money and provides support for soldiers in need and their loved ones. Fisher House UK is also partnered with the US Fisher House foundation and attempts to emulate the work carried out there. There is a Fisher House a short walk from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital at Birmingham, which has 18 en-suite rooms with king-sized beds, wardrobes a desk and chair and a sofa bed. It can accommodate 54 people and will make their stay very comfortable. It is wheelchair accessible with communal living facilities like a play area for children, a laundry room and a fully stocked kitchen.

The foundation has also expanded its work to Germany with two Fisher House US Hospital in Landstuhl. Families served are from the US European Command, US Central Command, US Special Operations Command, US Africa Command and the 72 Embassies in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. These two houses have supported over 11,000 families since they opened. Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC) is the largest American hospital outside of the United States and the Landstuhl Fisher Houses (LFH) I and II are both located across the street from the hospital. There is a total of 19 rooms between them with private bathrooms and many other amenities. Both houses have large areas that families can share and can spend time together. There is refrigerator and freezer space for all families residing in the houses and they are responsible for their own meals.

As well as this, the foundation continues to work on opening more houses across the US and meeting the need and demand for free accommodation when it arises. They also continue to raise awareness for their cause and have many people behind them, supporting them and fundraising for the cause by holding events or simply donating their hard earned money. Without these efforts from so many devoted individuals, all the progress Fisher House has made would be impossible.

Since being established in 1990, 180,000 families have been served and the number grows year on year. No family pays to stay in a Fisher House and has saved families over $30 million in lodging costs. It is great to see a foundation dedicated to doing hard work in the country it originates in and around the world, and it is definitely a foundation worth supporting.

Photo Source: Fisher House UK Facebook Page