[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 199 (Thursday, December 12, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7024-S7025]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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              25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE VETERANS GUEST HOUSE

 Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I come forward today to 
recognize the 25th anniversary of the Veterans Guest House.

[[Page S7025]]

  The Veterans Guest House has long been one of Reno's best kept 
secrets. This ``home away from home'' is one of the only facilities of 
its kind in the country serving U.S. military veterans and their 
families, providing temporary overnight accommodations for veterans 
receiving treatment at a medical facility in the Reno-Sparks area. In 
the early 1990s, veterans visiting the Veterans Administration Medical 
Center of the Sierra, VAMC, in Reno noticed that the family members of 
veterans were sleeping in their cars because they couldn't afford 
lodging while their loved one was in the hospital. Even some veterans 
were sleeping in their cars so they could arrive for appointments and 
other treatments. It was clear that this was not acceptable, and so our 
generous Northern Nevada community went to work to do better for our 
veterans.
  In 1994, Reno's Spouse House opened its doors in an old bungalow-
style home right near the VAMC in Reno. It had a handful of beds, and 
in those early years, the House provided lodging to about 800 guests 
each year. In the 25 years since that time, the Veterans Guest House 
has evolved and expanded to better meet the needs of our veterans and 
their families. In 2002, the nonprofit took the name ``Veterans Guest 
House'' to reflect its broader mission of assisting both veterans and 
their families, and in 2004, a new 12-bed home was built. By 2012, the 
nonprofit had acquired another property and expanded the bed total to 
17, allowing them to provide more than 5,000 guest nights that year. 
Recently, construction concluded on the latest expansion bringing total 
capacity to 33 beds.
  The Veterans Guest House is key to connecting our community to our 
veterans, providing a variety of ways to show our support for our 
veterans and their families and the sacrifices made by both. Volunteers 
are welcome at the Veterans Guest House to help provide the 
organization ongoing support doing everything from cleaning rooms, to 
assisting in small repairs, to helping with fundraisers. Community 
groups, families, and businesses also are encouraged to provide a home-
cooked meal for the guests or help fill the needs of the agency's 
``Wish List.'' Most guests reside more than 30 miles away from the 
hospital, and so having that support for them and their families is 
crucial. Guests are asked to make a donation to support the work of the 
House, but no one is turned away because they can't pay. The 
organization relies completely on donations and receives no Federal or 
State funding.
  I am so pleased to recognize the 25th anniversary of the Veterans 
Guest House and the critical services and support it provides to our 
veterans and their families.

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