Before Memorial Day, Fisher Homes Open for Hospitalized Vets' Families
Honoring military members and their families, Fisher House Foundation provides free lodging for families of veterans treated in VA hospitals.
NEW YORK CITY—As Memorial Day reminds the country of the service and sacrifices of men and women in the military, the Fisher House Foundation demonstrates how real estate can give back to those in the armed services and their families. The foundation built two homes at 130 Westbridge Road in the Bronx, New York. The facilities will provide free lodging for 32 families of military members and veterans allowing them to be close to those hospitalized at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center.
“I can’t tell you how excited I am to be part of this. I was born and raised in the Bronx, so it’s like coming home” says Ken Fisher, chairman and CEO of Fisher House Foundation. “I want our veterans and their families to know when they walk in the door of a Fisher House that America cares and we thank them for their service and honor that service in a tangible way.”
The newly built homes are estimated to save military and veterans’ families approximately $3 million per year. They will also provide veterans better access to care at the Veterans Administration hospital, when they or their families may not otherwise have an affordable, nearby place to stay.
The homes create a community of residents, who are caring for sick or injured family members receiving treatment at the VA Center. Initially, the VA gave the land to Fisher House Foundation, which for $16.5 million developed the two homes that were built by Plaza Construction.
The two Bronx Fisher Houses each have fully furnished, accessible suites to accommodate 16 families. They were created to serve families of approximately 370,000 veterans who are eligible to receive healthcare from the Bronx VA. After completion, the foundation turned over the property to the VA to operate and maintain.
There are now three such homes in New York, with the first one built in 1994 in Albany. There are 82 Fisher Houses across the US, two in Germany and one in England. In 2018 they served more than 32,000 families with free-of-charge rooming near VA hospitals.