“On the road to help our military families,” that’s the motto on Road Scholar’s newest awareness truck supporting Fisher House Foundation. We recently spoke to Ashley Estill, Communications & PR Coordinator for Fisher House about the foundation and Road Scholar’s awareness program.
*Can you please tell us a little about Fisher House?
Ashley: 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 $282 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.
*How many people does Fisher House help?
Ashley: Since the Fisher House program began in 1990, Fisher House Foundation has provided over 6 million nights of lodging to military and veteran families, a savings of more than $282 million.
We currently have 66 Fisher Houses located throughout the United States and in Europe.
Families served: More than 25,000 in 2014.
Families served: More than 250,000 since inception. (1990)
Our Hero Miles program has provided more than 58,000 airline tickets to wounded, injured and ill service members and their families, worth nearly $88 million.
Fisher House Foundation has awarded nearly $16 million in scholarships to over 9,000 students.
*How did you hear about Road Scholar’s awareness program and how did the idea to create an awareness truck for your organization get started?
Ashley: The Foundation first heard about Road Scholar’s awareness program from one of our trustees, David Fox. He connected us through one of his friends to the owner of Road Scholar Transport, who helped make this generous offer possible.
Mr. Fox thought it would create some wonderful visibility for the Foundation, so we worked with our graphic designer and the Road Scholar team to get started on a design. We looked at other designs they have featured and decided to come up with something sharp and simple to share our mission.
Our design features an American Flag background and the statement, “On the road to helping military families” on the foreground. Also included is a photo of a Fisher House family. Our motto is “Because a family’s love is good medicine,” so we thought it only fitting to feature one of our families on the design. Our goal was to quickly illustrate what Fisher House does and included our website on the design so folks who see the truck know where to go to support us.
*What do you think of our awareness program as a whole?
Ashley: Road Scholar’s awareness program is amazing for charities. At Fisher House Foundation, we have a very limited budget on advertising, so to have something like this offered to us is really priceless. By utilizing Road Scholar’s program, we are able to increase our visibility to a countless number of people, who then in turn, could support us.
For more information on Fisher House Foundation please visit www.fisherhouse.org and don’t forget to check out all of the great causes/organizations Road Scholar Transport is spreading awareness for at http://www.roadscholar.com/awareness-trailers/.
