Tucson, AZ (PRWEB) February 18, 2016
Fisher House Foundation president David Coker joined Congressman Raul Grijalva, representing Arizona’s 3rd Congressional District, Congresswoman Martha McSally, representing Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District, and Jennifer Gutowski Acting Director, Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS) today to dedicate the newest Fisher House at the Tucson VA Medical Center. This home will provide lodging for up to 16 families of eligible Veterans and military at no cost, allowing them to be close to their loved one at the most stressful time – during the hospitalization for a combat injury, illness or disease.
The Arizona Fisher House will not only create an instant community for its residents, united by their common mission of supporting a sick or injured loved one, but it will also provide each individual with a secure and private refuge after a long day at the hospital to rest and recharge.
The 16-suite, 14,000 sq.-ft. “comfort home” joins the more than 65 Fisher Houses operating in the United States and Europe, and was gifted to VA as part of today’s ceremony. Each bedroom suite comes equipped with a private, handicapped-accessible bathroom, and common areas that include a spacious kitchen, large communal living, dining and family rooms, laundry room and patio.
“Fisher House Foundation didn’t do this alone,” said Mr. Coker. “So many people in Arizona and throughout the country contributed to making this dream possible, and it’s something that should make all of us proud. Arizonians do care about their Veterans and their families and this home is just one more example of that.”
“The Arizona Fisher House will be a safe, comfortable environment for families,” said Ms. Gutowski. “It will be a place where families can spend quality time together while their loved one is healing. I look forward to a long and rewarding partnership between the Tucson VA and the Fisher House Foundation. All of us together will pave the way to provide exceptional care and comfort to our Veteran and active duty service member families during their time of need.”
Construction of this Fisher House was supported by: Arizona Fisher House, The American Legion – Sons of the American Legion – American Legion Auxiliary, An Anonymous Donor, Click Family Foundation, Harriet and Lt. Commander Murray Lloyd Hammock, USNR, MCS Charitable Foundation, Susan Bring and Vantage West Credit Union.
About Fisher House
Fisher House Foundation is best known for a network of comfort homes where military and veterans’ families can stay at no cost while a loved one is receiving treatment. These homes are located at major military and VA medical centers nationwide, and in Europe, close to the medical center or hospital it serves. Fisher Houses have up to 21 suites, with private bedrooms and baths. Families share a common kitchen, laundry facilities, a warm dining room and an inviting living room. Fisher House Foundation ensures that there is never a lodging fee. Since inception, the program has saved military and veterans’ families an estimated $320 million in out of pocket costs for lodging and transportation.
Fisher House Foundation also operates the Hero Miles Program, using donated frequent flyer miles to bring family members to the bedside of injured service members as well as the Hotels for Heroes program using donated hotel points to allow family members to stay at hotels near medical centers without charge. The Foundation also manages a grant program that supports other military charities and scholarship funds for military children, spouses and children of fallen and disabled veterans.
About the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System
The Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS) located in Tucson Arizona has been serving America’s heroes, our Veterans, since its dedication on October 13, 1928. SAVAHCS currently serves over 170,000 Veterans located in eight counties in Southern Arizona and one county in Western New Mexico. SAVAHCS is a 277-bed hospital providing primary care and sub-specialty health care in numerous medical areas for eligible Veterans. Many SAVAHCS services are tailored to meet the unique needs of Veterans that are not readily available in the private sector. They include: Spinal cord injury, blind rehabilitation, geriatric rehabilitation, amputee programs, prosthetics, post-traumatic stress disorder treatment, extensive array of mental health programs, Transition and Care Management for recently separated service members formerly known as Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND), and Polytrauma Network Site case management programs. SAVAHCS also provides our Veterans with quality care at our seven Community Based Outpatient Clinics located at Safford, Casa Grande, Sierra Vista, Yuma, Green Valley, Northwest and Southeast Tucson.
In fiscal year 2015, SAVAHCS treated over 8,000 inpatients, performed over 5,100 surgeries and completed an excess of 680,000 outpatient visits.
http://www.tucson.va.gov / http://www.facebook.com/VATucson / http://www.twitter.com/TucsonVA
HI RES EVENT PHOTOS AVAILABLE FROM AESTILL(at)FISHERHOUSE(dot)ORG.