Fisher House: It's time to step up

(There is a challenge for you at the end of this post.)

Friends, it's that time of year again. It the convergence of Veteran's day, the approaching the giving holidays, and the end of the tax year.

There are many charitable causes to donate to. So many good, needy causes. The problem is that with so many "charities", very little of your dollars make it to the actual need. Sorta like government. Sorry, i couldn't resist a small dig.

Anyway, there is one charity that is top notch, Fisher House. It is a worthy cause, and one of the most efficient charitable organizations out there. Seriously, they have something like 4% overhead, which is unheard of in the charity word. For comparison, American Red Cross is 55/70, and FH is 67/70, financial scoring per Charity Navigator.

But I have prattled on too long without getting to THE POINT. Why Fisher House? What do they do? Here it is:

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Because members of the military and their families are stationed worldwide and must often travel great distances for specialized medical care, Fisher House Foundation donates "comfort homes," built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers. These homes enable family members to be close to a loved one at the most stressful times - during the hospitalization for an unexpected illness, disease, or injury.

There is at least one Fisher House at every major military medical center to assist families in need and to ensure that they are provided with the comforts of home in a supportive environment. Annually, the Fisher House program serves more than 17,000 families, and have made available over four million days of lodging to family members since the program originated in 1990. By law, there is no charge for any family to stay at a Fisher House operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs; and Fisher House Foundation uses donations to reimburse the individual Fisher Houses operated by the Army, Navy, and Air Force. No family pays to stay at any Fisher House!

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That's a lot of words, but this is what it really means:

Your son/sister/father/mother is injured in battle. They have a leg blown off, brain damage, whatever. They come back to the states for medical care. His family is on the other side of the country, and he is all alone. It would bankrupt the family to have to fly back and forth, rent hotels, for months. Fisher House provides a home for them to stay at, right next to the hospital. He can be with his mother, his wife, his children, during the recovery and rehab. And the other families going through similar struggles, staying at the Fisher House can support each other.

Additionally, Fisher House accepts frequent flyer miles donations for their "Hero Miles" program.

Quote:

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Fisher House Foundation administers the “Hero Miles” program, a service that provides free round-trip airfare to wounded, injured and ill military men and women, and/or their families, who are undergoing treatment at a military or VA medical center, and to attend authorized events. Flights are made possible through frequent flyer mile donations made by individual airline passengers.

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So here is your challenge:

Omit one Starbucks coffee between now and the end of the year. Or one pizza, or one movie, or one McDonalds. You get the point. Take that $20 and donate it to Fisher House instead.

Or you might be buying yourself a gift for christmas (along with all the gifts for the other family members). Maybe donate that $30 to Fisher House instead.

Or better yet, rather than just giving each other slippers, or stupid ties, or whatever...each of you donate to Fisher House instead. Make it a "thing" for this year.

Those kids spending time with Dad, while he recovers from losing his leg, their giggles (and his!) will make it all worth every penny.

http://www.fisherhouse.org/donate/

+1 If its good enough for my buddy Zombie, good enough for me- Done! thanks for the info.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by zombie67

(There is a challenge for you at the end of this post.)...

Or better yet, rather than just giving each other slippers, or stupid ties, or whatever...each of you donate to Fisher House instead. Make it a "thing" for this year.

http://www.fisherhouse.org/donate/

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Fair enough, Z. I like this challenge. My Dad's birthday is in less than two weeks, and I was just wondering what to get him. I will donate to Fisher House "for him" instead. :)
Thank you for this idea.

Thanks guys!

Z, a quick bump for your thread and to let you know they just got a donation in honor of my Dad's birthday. **==

Thanks DrPop! Money well spent!