A Year of Service: QM Team Brings Comfort Home to Fisher House Families

Throughout the past year, the Columbia VA Health Care System’s Quality Management (QM) group prepared and served several meals for Fisher House guests, culminating with a Christmas meal for families unable to be home for the holidays. What began as a single volunteer effort grew into a quarterly tradition focused on caring for those who support Veterans during medical treatment.

“When volunteers like the QM group prepare meals for Fisher House guests, it goes beyond just providing food,” said Candler Rhodes, Fisher House director. “It encompasses emotional support, practical help, social interaction and a sense of community, all of which are invaluable during challenging times.”

For families staying at Fisher House, especially during the holidays, those moments carry added weight.

“The holidays are traditionally a time for family gatherings, warmth and celebration,” Rhodes said. “When families are away from home due to medical needs, they often feel disconnected from those traditions. A prepared meal brings back a piece of that normal holiday experience, making Fisher House feel more like home.”

The QM group’s involvement did not begin with Christmas. The team prepared and served several meals throughout the year, each one designed to relieve stress for caregivers navigating long days, medical uncertainty and emotional exhaustion.

“Guests at Fisher House are often dealing with medical challenges or supporting loved ones in treatment,” Rhodes said. “A home-cooked meal prepared by caring volunteers sends a powerful message: ‘You’re not alone.’ It provides a sense of normalcy and warmth during an uncertain period.”

The idea started as a creative way to combine team building with service.

“This venture started as an outside-the-box idea of mine of how we, as a department, could both team-build and serve others,” said Renee Soler, Columbia VAHCS patient safety manager. “We held our first one last year and had so much fun that we continued it quarterly.”

After seeing the impact firsthand, the team committed to making it a recurring effort.

“After the first event, we quickly realized the impact that a home-cooked meal could make on a tired and weary caregiver of a Veteran patient,” Soler said. “It feels good to pour our love and support into a meal they don’t have to worry about preparing or paying for. It’s a simple gesture, but with great love.”

For Jazmin Johnson, Columbia VAHCS Program Analyst – Education Specialist, the mission hit close to home.

“As a military brat born to a family of several service members, I’ve personally experienced the comfort of places like Fisher House during difficult times,” Johnson said. “That sense of having a ‘home away from home’ when you need it most is something I’ll never forget. Preparing meals is our way of giving back.”

QM staff said their department’s culture made the partnership a natural fit.

“The QSV department is widely comprised of generous and service-oriented people,” said Tracy Van Hassel, Columbia VAHCS registered nurse. “We have some great cooks and bakers who love to share their culinary skills.”

Menus varied to keep meals fresh and fun, ranging from Italian dishes to soup bars, but the purpose remained the same.

“It’s really an extension of our mission to serve Veterans, by serving their caregivers and families,” Soler said.

That service proved especially meaningful during Christmas, when many families could not be home.

“The needs of Fisher House residents don’t take breaks during the holiday season,” Soler said. “It’s important for us to remember that.”

For the QM team, the experience strengthened morale and reinforced shared purpose.

“It’s truly an amazing experience to see who we are helping,” Soler said. “It’s a huge morale booster for the team to see the difference we are making.”

Van Hassel added that sitting down to eat alongside families created powerful moments of reflection and connection.

“These meal-time conversations serve as gentle reminders of how fortunate we are,” she said.

Above all, the team hopes families felt supported.

“Peace. Calm. Trust,” Johnson said. “When families sit down to one of our meals, we hope they feel seen and cared for.”

Rhodes said those acts of kindness defined the heart of Fisher House.

“Community and staff volunteers are truly the heart of Fisher House’s mission,” she said. “They transform it from just a place to stay into a warm, welcoming environment.”

The QM group plans to continue the partnership in the future, encouraging other departments to do the same.

“We are a service-oriented department,” Soler said. “The joy we feel after each meal—and the bonds we form—keep us coming back.”

For Fisher House families, those meals offered something lasting: a reminder that even during life’s most difficult seasons, compassion could still feel like home.

For more information about what’s going on at the Columbia VA Health Care System, clinic locations, and other services available to Veterans in South Carolina, visit the website https://www.va.gov/columbia-south-carolina-health-care/ and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, keyword: VAColumbiaSC.