Omaha Fisher House

The Omaha Fisher House features 16 fully-furnished suites and serves as a “home away from home” for the families of Veterans or military service members receiving treatment at the Omaha VA Medical Center. The facility also features a large kitchen and dining area, an elevator and a full laundry. There is no cost to stay and there is no financial eligibility required.

The Fisher House program, established in 1990 by Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher, provides free temporary accommodations at no cost, for family members of hospitalized Veterans and active duty military personnel. Fisher House Foundation is committed to improving the quality of life for our men and women in uniform, Veterans, and their families and caregivers. For more information on the Fisher House Foundation, please visit FisherHouse.org.

What are the criteria to stay at the Fisher House?

• Permanent address of guest must be more than 50 miles from the Omaha campus.
• VA providing service or authorized by Care in the Community.
• Guest must be capable of self-care and be independent in activities of daily living.
• Guest must be actively involved in Veteran’s daily treatment plan and provide ongoing support during episode of care.
• 1 room per family/Veteran with max of 2 occupants (temporary restriction due to COVID-19 – standard occupancy is 4 occupants).
• All requests will require a length of stay recommendation from the treatment team.
• Guests under the age of 18 are permitted on a limited basis due to COVID-19.

Get involved!

For any questions regarding donations or how to get involved please contact:

Miles Brown/Fisher House Manager 402-930-7116.

The Omaha Fisher House Program can be reached via email at OmahaFisherHouse@va.gov.

The Omaha Fisher House "wish lists" can be found at the following links:
- Amazon wish list

See below for printer friendly Fisher House Wish List

Our greatest needs at this time are:

• Individually wrapped snack items
• Disposable coffee cups with lids
• Bottled water
• Visa, Walmart and Hy-Vee Gift Cards (these are used to purchase urgent needs and weekly groceries for the guests)

At this time, we are not in need of hand-made blankets, children's books, or individual shampoos/soaps.

Donations to Fisher House can be made online by visiting this link.

Monetary donations can be sent to:
VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System, Attn: Fisher House
4101 Woolworth Avenue
Attn: Fisher House
Omaha, NE 68105

Checks can be made out to "Omaha Fisher House", with "1604" in the memo line.

Due to the current situation related to COVID-19, in-house volunteer opportunities will be made available in the near future.

The Hardy Helpings Meal Program

The Hardy Helpings meal program is a way individuals or groups can support families by providing a warm evening meal without ever leaving their own. You can coordinate with a local restaurant/catering service of your choice, and have it delivered to the house on the date you have coordinated with Fisher House.

How are Guests Notified of a Meal?

The day prior to the scheduled meal delivery, guests will be notified with a letter placed under the door in their room and signage in the communal areas such as kitchen, library and family room. We will include expected items being delivered, approximate amount and time.

The evening of the delivery, house staff will post signage in the kitchen recognizing the individual or group sponsoring the meal. This can include a picture, logo and or a message from the donor if they wish. It is a way to show each guest who has generously provided their meal.

In addition, each donor will receive a Fisher House thank you letter acknowledging their generous donation.

What’s the Occupancy at the House?

We cannot predict exact occupancy in advance as guests are checking in and out regularly. We suggest you plan to sponsor meals for 15. Leftovers can be stored in the house “fair game” fridge for guests who come in after the event. Fisher House staff will place left over food in microwaveable containers and label with dates at the end of the event.

What’s Considered a Successful Meal?

Any donated meal is a success! Our guests have spur-of-the-moment lives while staying at the house. Someone may in intend on eating the meal during dinner but be called to the hospital for a medical emergency. The meals can be used later and no matter what, your time, service and donation is appreciated by each guest.

What Restaurant do I Choose?

There are many restaurants in the Omaha Metro area to choose from. Nearby the house you have the Blackstone area, Aksarben Village, Hy-Vee Grocery Store and Center Street restaurants. We cannot provide a list to you, but if it is prepared by a professional restaurant or catering service, that will meet our needs.

How Much will it Cost?

Typical cost per meal range from $10-$15 dollars in the Omaha Metro area. A safe estimate is around $200 for 15 guests (could be more or less).

Do we need to prepare specialty meals for those with dietary restrictions?

Because we serve a high volume of families per month, we cannot prepare for every dietary restriction. Guests with allergies or other restrictions will ask if they aren’t sure about the contents of a particular meal. 

What are the Fisher House Administrative Hours?

Administrative hours for the Fisher House are Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

How do I sign up to provide a meal?

Arrangements can be made by contacting the Fisher House by email at OmahaFisherHouse@va.gov or by phone at .  

How else can I get involved?

Donations can be given at this link. These funds are used to provide meals to guests on days that a sponsored meal is not provided.