Individuals or families interested in contributing to a reputable philanthropic organization that provides services to veterans and active duty military personnel should consider supporting the Fisher House Foundation. The foundation is an A+ military charity with a Charity Watch Program Percentage of 91 and a four-star rating with the Combined Federal Campaign. Established in 1990, the program assists veterans and family members with costs associated with healthcare needs, particularly in areas of travel and housing. Over the years, the foundation has paid for nearly $550 million in transportation and lodging expenses at nearly 100 houses.
The Fisher House Foundation team excels at finding suitable accommodations close to essential healthcare facilities. Additional Fisher House locations can be found near Veterans Affairs health centers around the world. The organization provides veterans and families with several services.
First and foremost, Fisher House Foundation provides comfort homes at no charge. Meals are typically not included with lodging, but this service varies from one volunteer group to the next. The organization's international network of homes has a combined daily capacity of 1,300 families. These homes have provided shelter to upwards of 455,000 families over a combined 12 million days of lodging.
The standard Fisher House consists of 21 suites, each with its own private bedroom and bathroom. Families staying at a Fisher House share certain amenities with other families, including kitchens, laundry rooms, and various family areas. The organization hopes to complete the Road to 100 initiative in the near future, at which point Fisher House capacity will increase to 1,400 families.
In addition to providing shelter, Fisher House Foundation assists with travel expenses through the Hero Miles program. Driven by frequent flyer mile donations from supporters, the Fisher House Foundation Hero Miles program provides round trip airfare in several medical scenarios. First, a service member receiving treatment at a medical center who needs to travel home or to an authorized event can use the Hero Miles program. In addition, the program can be used as a travel aid for family members and loved ones visiting a service member at a medical center, or traveling to the Dover Air Force Base for the dignified transfer of remains of a fallen service member. The Hero Miles program has provided more than 70,000 airline tickets, with a monetary value of over $100 million.
Despite the growing reach of the organization, there are times when an eligible service member needs to travel to a medical facility with no Fisher House locations in the area. In these situations, the foundation's Hotels for Hero program pays for lodging at a nearby hotel. Furthermore, any person eligible to stay at a Fisher House that is at full capacity can visit fisherhouse.org and apply for lodging via the Hotels for Heroes program. The program is also open to service members receiving medical care who are not eligible for government reimbursement, as well as family members and close friends of these service members.
Finally, the foundation manages a grant program that both funds like-minded charities and provides scholarships to military children and spouses. The Fisher House Foundation has provided approximately 15,000 students with an estimated $27,000,000 in scholarship funds.
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