Fisher House Michigan (www.fisherhousemichigan.org) is a tax exempt 501(c)3 organization in the process of fundraising to build a Fisher House on the campus of the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System. This will be the first Fisher House in Michigan with a second one recently approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Fisher House Foundation to be built in Detroit near the John Dingell VA Medical Center. A Fisher House has been compared to a Ronald McDonald House but available for families of soldiers and veterans receiving care and treatment at a VA or DoD facility. The Ann Arbor Fisher House will have 16 suites with a shared kitchen and common area. Each suite will have a separate bathroom. Family members will live, at no cost, in this “home away from home” as long as their loved one remains hospitalized. Groundbreaking is scheduled for Spring ‘19 with an anticipated completion date of Fall ’19.
On May 1st, Ann Arbor American Legion Post #46 Commander, Oleg Michajlenko presented a check for $20,000.00 to Fisher House Michigan and was presented on the proposed site for the new Fisher House. This check is the first of a total of five checks of $20,000.00, each to be presented over the next five years for a total donation of $100,000.00. The AL Post #46 donation is part of the Memorial Day Match campaign that runs from May 1st through June 30th with all funds donated during the campaign matched dollar for dollar. Present at the ceremony were several Post #46 members, Howell PAL Commander, who represented the first organization to come forward in our matching campaign challenge by donating $5,000.00. Also attending was fellow Legionnaire Steve Striggow who has been endorsed to become the next State Commander for the American Legion and has indicted a strong interest in designating Fisher House Michigan as his “project” while serving as State Commander. The Ann Arbor American Legion Post #46 is proud to take the lead in this effort as we continue our strong support for our active military, veterans and, their families.