TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.— Travis Air Force Base, California’s Fisher House I celebrated its grand re-opening after almost a year of interior renovations during a base ceremony Nov. 4, 2021.
The event, attended by leadership from Travis AFB, Fisher House Foundation staff, community leaders and volunteers, marked a return to operations for the facility and its staff.
The newly-renovated Travis Fisher House I was originally built in 1994 and is one of the two Fisher Houses at Travis AFB. Together, the Travis Fisher House facilities have 23 rooms, seven in Fisher House I and 16 in Fisher House II, that was built in 2014.
“The renovations made the house more appealing when you walk in – more like a home,” said Ashley Meda, Travis Fisher House assistant manager. “We also added an extra bedroom, a suite that can hold seven people in the room.”
The Fisher House program began in 1990 by Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher. They built homes where military and veteran families can stay for free while their loved ones are at a hospital receiving care.
The idea originated from Pauline Trost, the wife of the Chief of Naval Operations in 1986. She saw the need to provide lodging to military members and their families when their loved ones are treated in military hospitals. She mentioned it to her husband, who then turned to Mr. Fisher, a builder and philanthropist.
“Families don’t have to worry about the financial part of lodging and food while they stay here,” said Ivana Jordovic, Travis Fisher House manager. “We are here to provide whatever they need. We want them to focus on their health. We will take care of everything else. We take a lot of weight off their shoulders when they find out they don’t have to pay and not worry about meals. It means a lot to the families.”
The Fisher House Foundation currently has 92 total houses in operation worldwide and has served 413,000 families.
“Fisher House is our home away from home to help reduce stress and financial burdens on families when they are at their most vulnerable,” said Col. Melvin Maxwell, 60th Mission Support Group commander. “Here at Travis, we’ve helped 550 families, with 4,436 nights of lodging, saving those family members nearly $450,000.”
For more information about the Fisher House Foundation, visit https://fisherhouse.org/
