Happy New Year to you and yours! Before we run headlong into 2020, let's take a moment to look at some of our 2019 accomplishments:

• Groundbreaking ceremony at VA Ann Arbor, June 14; largest ceremony in Fisher House Foundation history!

• Welcomed new, active board and committee members, representative of our state-wide mission. 

• Welcomed Suzanne Schaffrath to our staff

• Formalized partnerships with Dignity Memorial and Association of the United States Army Arsenal of Democracy Chapter

• Published our updated website

• Hosted our 5th annual Stories of Service event, presented by FHF corporate partner, Delta Air Lines

• Over 90 events and meetings hosted by 3rd party Proud Supporter Organizations around the state, in order to raise awareness of and support for the Michigan Fisher Houses

• Established new opportunities to support the Michigan Fisher Houses:

  • Capital gifts

    • Ann Arbor

    • Detroit

    • Unrestricted

  • Program support

    • Stories of Service

    • Family support for operational houses

  • Endowment

    • The Warren and Beverly Boos Veterans Family Support Fund was established to support Veterans and their families staying in operational Fisher Houses. Mr and Mrs Boos invite others to join them in supporting unmet needs of these families enduring medical challenges. Please contact us for more information. 

    • Donors wishing to establish their own endowment funds or legacy gifts with Fisher House Michigan are invited to do so; please contact us to discuss your plans

  • Amazon Wish List, to support the immediate needs of the Fisher House managers

• Received a Platinum Rating from GuideStar for the 2nd year in a row; we continue to limit fundraising costs to 10% or less annually.

• Recognized as the "gold standard" for Fisher House community groups by Fisher House Foundation

• In partnership with Fisher House Foundation, raised over $3 million in cash and pledges for the Ann Arbor and Detroit Fisher Houses in 2019. Total cash and pledges for the mission now exceeds $7 million!

• Best ever Giving Tuesday event, raising over $100,000 from 172 donors in only 24 hours!

• Media coverage helped raise mission awareness, including these segments from WJR, WDIV, and the Lucy Ann Lance Show

I'm certain I've missed some of the major events and accomplishments from 2019 -- it was a whirlwind of a year, in the best possible way! As we move into 2020, please save the date: June 19 at 10am, Michigan's first Fisher House will be dedicated at VA Ann Arbor. Please be there to celebrate what you've made possible!

We hope you have enjoyed a peaceful and meaningful holiday season, and we are so grateful that you're part of the team as the mission continues... because a family's love is good medicine!

Kate