VA to Host Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Lowcountry’s First Fisher House
Charleston, S.C. (PRWEB) November 21, 2016 -- On November 18, 2016 at 11 a.m., the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center will host the groundbreaking of the Charleston Fisher House at 150 Wentworth Street. Remarks will be given by the Honorable Sloan J. Gibson, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs; the Honorable John Tecklenburg, Mayor of the City of Charleston; Ken Fisher, CEO of the Fisher House Foundation; and Trux and Durbin Emerson of Fisher House Charleston.
The Charleston Fisher House will provide a “home away from home” at no cost for families and caregivers of Veterans and active duty military personnel receiving treatment at Charleston VA Medical Center. Fisher House Foundation has built 71 Fisher Houses in the US and overseas, with 31 supporting VA medical centers. Charleston VA Director Scott Isaacks is honored that the Ralph H. Johnson VAMC will soon to join that number.
“Fisher House Charleston is a gift from our community and Fisher House Foundation to the Veterans that we care for at this VA,” says Isaacks. “This groundbreaking will be a major milestone and we are all looking forward to opening the doors of the Charleston Fisher House as quickly as possible.”
Located just a mile from the medical center in historic downtown Charleston, the three-story, 16-suite home will feature a common kitchen, laundry facility, spacious dining room and an inviting living room with a library and toys for children. In 2016, VA Fisher Houses have accommodated nearly 23,000 Veteran families, saving them more than $3 million in lodging costs.
“It is an honor to lead an effort that brings families together when they need it most – during the healing process,” said Ken Fisher. “We know that there is a need for a Fisher House in nearly every community, but sometimes the effort to build this “home away from home” requires a little more passion and perseverance. Fisher House Charleston and the local community have been tireless in their efforts, and that is why we can celebrate this momentous occasion, ready to move forward with construction.”
Construction of this Fisher House is supported by: Bishop Gadsden, Fisher House Charleston, the Fisher House Golf Classic 2016, Samsung Electronics America, Shipley Foundation, Jack C. Taylor Family & Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and Trux and Durbin Emerson.
The Charleston Fisher House is expected to open to Veteran families in 2018.For more information, visit http://www.fisherhousecharleston.org.
Kerri Childress, Fisher House Foundation, +1 (240) 599-2463, [email protected]
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