The sign on Jodi Land's desk says it all about the Fisher House on Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

"Love What You Do," it reads.

"The Fisher House is all about comforting, about providing a place the offers a sense of security and understanding," said Land, the business manager.

JBLM's Fisher House is located at 9999 Wilson Ave., close to the Madigan Army Medical Center (MAMC).

Its mission is to provide servicemembers and their families with a comfortable, nurturing and safe environment while they or a loved one receive medical care at MAMC.

The Fisher House has received an A+ rating from the American Institute of Philanthropy and four out of four stars from Charity Navigator.

This house comes with some history.

Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher established the Fisher House program, and the first Fisher House opened in June 1990 at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

To date, the program consists of more than 60 houses located near Veterans Affairs hospitals and military installations across the country and in Europe.

JBLM's Fisher House stands out.

"We're always full," Land said, "and there are times when we are full that we use our ‘Hotel For Heroes Program' in order to meet the need of putting loved ones in hotels so they can be close to each other."

Last fiscal year, more than 150 families visited the JBLM house, with an average stay of 17 days.

To meet the growing need of serving families, a second Fisher House at JBLM will open in mid-November.  It will be larger than the existing seven-bedroom JBLM house, and it is located near MAMC's Medical Mall.

Helping to ensure the continued service the Fisher House offers, the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) plays a vital role.

"One hundred percent of every dollar we receive in donations goes directly to running these houses," Land stressed.

Every donation has an immediate and positive impact on the Fisher House's mission, she added.

"The CFC has a huge impact on what we do," Land concluded.  "No contribution is too small; those contributions go a long way. All contributions are needed in order to support the team."

The CFC donation number for the Fisher House is 56608.

For more information about the Fisher House, visit www.fisherhouse.org or call 253.964.9283.