The Marathon Petroleum Corp.’s (MPC) Ohio Refining Division veterans committee has been supporting Fisher House Foundation, a network of homes where military and veterans’ families can stay at no cost while their loved ones are receiving treatment at a Veterans Affairs facility.
These homes annually serve more than 112,600 veterans. Each Fisher House creates an instant community for its residents, united by a common mission of supporting a sick or injured loved one, while also providing families with a secure and private refuge after a long day at the hospital to rest and recharge.
“When the veterans’ committee began, we researched organizations that assist veterans in order to find an organization that not only provides the best use of the money we would donate to them but also have an impact in North East Ohio,” said Canton ES&S Manager Darin Barber. “After a lot of research, we determined that organization would be Fisher House.”
The Ohio Refining Division contributed $15,000 over three years through its Donations Committee for the construction of Fisher houses in Cleveland, Ohio. Additionally, they held a fundraising luncheon at the refinery to raise $1,500. In all, more than 1,000 organizations came together to raise the $3.4 million for construction.
Recently, members of the ORD Veterans Committee attended the ribbon cutting for the facility serving the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center. The homes offer free lodging for up to 32 families on any given night, allowing them to be close to their loved ones during hospitalization at the VA Medical Center. The lodging also saves families more than $1.5 million in annual fees associated with travel and accommodations.
“In my life, there have been few things I have been associated with that bring me more pride and satisfaction than Fisher House Foundation,” said Ken Fisher, Fisher House Foundation Chairman and CEO. “When a wife tells me that being near her husband saved his life and she could never have done that without a Fisher House, I am touched beyond words. But we didn’t do this in a vacuum. Fisher houses are built on partnerships. It is our donors that make this possible. I thank them and VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System for partnering with Fisher House to care for our military, veterans and their families.”
