$2M raised for second Pittsburgh Fisher House to be built on VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System’s Heinz campus

The non-profit Friends of the Pittsburgh Fisher House has raised $2 million, an important milestone in the capital campaign to support construction of a second Pittsburgh Fisher House. The new Fisher House, to be located at the H.J. Heinz III VA Medical Center in O’Hara Township, will complement the current Pittsburgh Fisher House on VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System’s University Drive campus. 

This progress in the capital campaign was made possible by gifts from foundations, businesses, and individual community members. Groundbreaking for the new 16-suite Pittsburgh Fisher House is scheduled for 2025. 

“We are honored to work on behalf of families who seek the stress relief and financial assistance that the Pittsburgh Fisher House provides,” said Mary Ellen Austin, vice president of the Friends of Pittsburgh Fisher House Board of Directors. 

Austin also announced Navy veteran and former state senator Pam Iovino has joined the board.

“Pam is a dynamic leader with incredible experience,” said Austin. “She has a wealth of knowledge and networks – from her service as a Navy captain, to working for the VA as assistant secretary for Congressional Affairs – that will benefit the veterans and families we serve.” 

The local capital campaign goal is $3 million and the collaboration with the national Fisher House Foundation will ensure the balance is raised. This effort is fueled largely by dedicated volunteers in Pittsburgh.

Fisher Houses provide homelike, free lodging in a stress-free setting where military and veteran families can stay free of charge while a loved one is in the hospital. Building a second Fisher House in Pittsburgh will increase lodging capacity by 160% for families and caregivers who travel with veterans receiving medical treatment at VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System. 

Since opening in 2012, the current Pittsburgh Fisher House has provided 33,500 days of free lodging to more than 9,240 guests, saving veterans and their families $3.9 million. 

“Very few cities support two Fisher Houses, and we’re proud to be among them,” said Austin. “We wouldn’t be here without the generosity of our community, so we celebrate this important milestone and all the supporters who have helped along the way.” 

To learn more, go to https://www.pittsburghfisherhouse.org.  

Pittsburgh Fisher House and Friends of the Pittsburgh Fisher House

The Pittsburgh Fisher House is part of a network of 96 homes where military and veteran families can stay for free while a loved one is receiving treatment. These homes are located at major military and VA medical centers nationwide and in Europe. The Pittsburgh Fisher House is managed by the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System. Fisher House suites include a comfortable private bedroom and bath. Families share a chef’s kitchen, fully stocked refrigerator, laundry facilities, a dining room, and inviting living spaces. The Friends of the Pittsburgh Fisher House, a local non-profit community group, supplements the bricks and mortar of the Pittsburgh Fisher House and furnishes day-to-day items that directly benefit families staying at the house. These include food, gift cards, transportation vouchers and many added touches such as seasonal décor, holiday meals, special celebrations, and a fully appointed modern library, outdoor patio, and deck. www.pittsburghfisherhouse.org 

VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System

VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS) is one of the largest and most progressive VA health care systems in the nation. More than 4,000 employees served more than 91,000 veterans last year, providing a range of services from complex transplant medicine to routine primary care. VAPHS is a leader in virtual care delivery through telehealth technology; a center of research and learning with 233 research investigators and $18.8 million in funding in fiscal year 2023; and a provider of state-of-the-art health care training to some 1,500 student trainees annually. VAPHS provides care at medical centers in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood and nearby O’Hara Township, both in Pennsylvania, and at six outpatient clinics in Belmont County, Ohio, and Allegheny (Monroeville), Beaver, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties in Pennsylvania. Veterans can call 412-360-6162 to check eligibility or enrollment. Stay up to date at pittsburgh.va.gov, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).

Mary Ellen Austin, Board Vice President of Development, Friends of the Pittsburgh Fisher House

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Shelley Nulph, Public and Community Relations Manager

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