UDP News Release: Support sought for ‘home away from home’ for families of vets

SALT LAKE CITY – Safe, comfortable, and affordable housing for families of veterans being treated by the Department of Veterans Affairs Salt Lake City Health Care System (VASLCHCS) may soon become a reality, but only if Utahns demonstrate their support, said John Forsman, chairman of the Veterans Caucus of the Utah Democratic Party.

The medical center’s Salt Lake City campus is one of 10 recommended sites for construction of a VA Fisher House, which would provide home-away-from home accommodations.

“This is one of those projects that the whole state can get behind,” said Ray Bachiller, chairman of Fisher House/Utah.

“Many of our returning service members need intensive physical and occupational rehabilitation,” said Brian Westfield, VASLCHCS acting director. “Locating a Fisher House on our medical center campus will enable our patients to focus on their treatment and permit them to receive the full benefit of our extensive world-class care.”

The VA Fisher House will be a 21-guest suite, 16,000 square foot, two-story home, located on the southwestern portion of the medical center campus. The facility will include common kitchen, laundry facilities, spacious dining room, living room with library, and toys for children.

Fisher Houses are built through public donations and contributions from the Fisher House Foundation.

“If the community demonstrates strong support for a Fisher House by raising at least $500,000 in matching construction funds, the Fisher House Foundation will prepare a proposal for the approval by the Fisher House Foundation Board of Trustees. The proposal will include developing an architectural plan for the proposed Fisher House,” said Don Willis, Community Fund Raising Committee Champion for Fisher House/Utah.

The Fisher House Foundation will review the 10 newly recommended locations to determine sites for Fisher House construction in 2008 and 2009.

VASLCHCS treated 39,781 veterans last year, accounting for more than 400,500 outpatient visits and nearly 5,500 hospitalizations.

Contact:

• Ray Bachiller, chairman, Community Fund Raising Committee @ 801-430-8762 or bachiller1@aol,com
• Don Willis, Community Fund Raising Committee Champion, (801) 209-5765
• John Forsman, chairman, Veterans Caucus, Utah Democratic Party, (801) 560-5982, jfforsman7@xmission.com