Fisher Foundation

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ABOUT FISHER HOUSE FOUNDATION, INC.

Fisher House Foundation, Inc. is the national not-for-profit organization established to assist with the coordination of private support and to encourage public support for the network of homes known as "Zachary and Elizabeth M. Fisher Houses". The Foundation works to educate and inform the public about Fisher Houses and provides support to individual houses when necessary as well as support to the entire Fisher House program.

Fisher Houses are uniquely designed to provide temporary lodging in a "home away from home" atmosphere for members of our Armed Services, veterans, and their families during a medical crisis. Providing a warm, compassionate environment where families and caring friends can nurture one another in time of need, these houses are given as a gift to the respective Armed Service or Department of Veterans Affairs. Built on government land, they are operated and maintained by the respective service.

The Fisher House program was established June 15, 1990 with the opening of the first Zachary and Elizabeth M. Fisher House in Portsmouth, Virginia. President and Mrs. Bush opened the second Fisher House at National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland on June 24, 1991. Today, the program has 26 houses located at military and Veterans Affairs medical centers across our nation, including two more houses scheduled for completion in 1996.

There is at least one Fisher House at every major military medical center to assist families in need and to ensure they are provided with the comforts of home in a supportive environment. These sites were selected by the Secretaries of the Army, Navy, Air Force, respective Surgeons General and Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Annually the Fisher Houses serve more than 5,000 thousand families, and have made available nearly 500,000 days of lodging to family members since the program originated.

Fisher House Foundation, Inc. was formed to coordinate the tremendous response from the public wanting to conkibute and participate in the program. It has been recognized with acclamation by the Secretary of Defense, each of the service secretaries and Surgeons General, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and at the highest levels of local, state, and federal government.


The work and gifts from this not-for-profit foundation are:

"Dedicated to our greatest national treasure - our military service men and women, and their loved ones."

FISHER HOUSE FOUNDATION, INC.
Operations Office: 1401 Rockville Pike, Maryland 20852 - (301) 294-8560
Corporate Office: 333 Jericho Turnpike, Jericho, New York 11753 - (516) 822-5350


 GENERAL HOUSE GUIDELINES

The Walter Reed Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher House is in continual service to families with critically-ill members. Often, there are families here whose problems are more difficult than yours may be. It is expected that each and every family does its fair share so that additional burdens are not placed on others.

The following guidelines help Fisher House work best, and your cooperation is essential!

    Family in Kitchen

  1. CONSIDERATION OF YOUR FELLOW GUESTS AT ALL TIMES IS REQUIRED. Please close doors gently, pick up after yourself, and avoid leaving a mess for other families to clean. Quiet hours are between 10: P.M. and 7:00 A.M.

     

  2. SMOKING IS PROHIBITED INSIDE FISHER HOUSE. We have seen patients with cardiac, respiratory, and other conditions suffer terribly from cigarette smoke; in addition, the fire hazard makes smoking unacceptable inside Fisher House. Those who violate this policy will be asked to leave.

     

  3. SHEETS (2) MUST BE USED ON THE BEDS - THIS IS A GENERAL RULE OF HYGIENE FOR EVERYONE WHO STAYS AT FISHER HOUSE. If you aren't sure whether you will have sufficient time to launder our linens, discuss this with our manager or ask another adult family member to finish the wash for you. (SHEETS, TOWELS AND MATTRESS PADS SOILED WITH BLOOD AND/OR URINE MUST BE PLACED IN THE YELLOW BAG PROVIDED IN THE LAUNDRY ROOM).

     

  4. KEEP YOUR ROOM LOCKED AT ALL TIMES; CLOSE EXTERIOR DOORS SECURELY AS YOU COME AND GO. This is important!

     

  5. THE REAR DOOR WILL BE ON AN ALARM SYSTEM BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 9 P.M. AND 7 A.M. Please use the front door at these times, and be sure your children understand this system.

     

  6. CHILDREN MUST BE SUPERVISED AT ALL TIMES. Baby-sitting services are not provided at Fisher House. Failure to keep tab of your child (or children) and to clean up after them may lead to an invitation to check out before you had planned to. Child care is available at the Forest Glen Child Development Center. Under no circumstances may you leave your children unattended. An adult age 18 or older must supervise your child at all times.

     

  7. TUBS AND SINKS SHOULD BE SCOURED AFTER EACH USE: TOILETS SHOULD BE WIPED/BRUSHED AS NEEDED. Please help protect our patients with lowered immunities as they cannot fight germs as well as most.

     

  8. ALL USED NEEDLES MUST BE DISPENSED IN THE MPW CONTAINER PROVIDED BY THE TREATING PHYSICIAN.

     

  9. FISHER HOUSE DOES NOT HAVE MAID SERVICE; PROMPT AND ADEQUATE CLEANUPS ARE A MUST IN THE KITCHEN, DINING ROOM, BATHROOMS, AND OTHER COMMON AREAS.

     

  10. LONG-DISTANCE CALLS MUST BE PAID FOR BY THE USER, except for emergencies, please urge your friends and family to call you only between the hours of 7 A.M. and 9:30 P.M. to allow other worried families to have peace from phones ringing late at night.

     

  11. WHEN RENEWING YOUR RENT AT THE FISHER HOUSE, please be sure to have the Manager print out a phone bill for you. You must have this phone bill to renew your stay. Rent and phone bills must be kept current.

     

  12. NOTE OUR CHECK-OUT PROCEDURE ON OUR BEDROOM DOOR AND ON PAGE 7 OF THE FISHER HOUSE HANDOUT. Please allow adequate time to clean room and launder linens. Check-out time is 11:00 A.M. at the Guest House. If this poses difficulties for you, please discuss alternatives with our manager.

    PLEASE REPORT ANY BREAKAGE OR MALFUNCTIONING OF EQUIPMENT OR TOYS SO THAT WE MAY KEEP EVERYONE SAFE AND SOUND! It is up to everyone to help prevent injuries.

    ILLNESS: Families who may have been exposed to infectious/contagious diseases should report the situation to the manager. IF YOU OR YOUR CHILD SHOULD BREAK OUT WITH CHICKENPOX WITHIN THREE DAYS AFTER LEAVING FISHER HOUSE, PLEASE NOTIFY THE MANAGER IMMEDIATELY!!! Call collect (301) 295-7374 ext.10. (Chickenpox can be fatal to anyone with lowered immunities; fortunately, there is a special serum, to prevent a serious case IF GIVEN TO AN AT-RISK PERSON WITHIN A FEW DAYS OF EXPOSURE). If ANY of your family members should fall ill while staying at Fisher House, please notify the manager so that extra precaution can be recommended. Please read our infection control sheet.

     

  13. No more than two guests may visit you at any one time. This is done for fire code reasons and to respect the space and quiet time of others at the house.