JENNIFER DeLUCA, Fisher House Boston ‘I am in the blessings business’

By Katie Lovett The Chamber

Jennifer DeLuca is used to tears, both happy and sad, on her work calls. There’s also a good dose of disbelief, and lots of gratitude.

That’s a typical day when you are the executive director of Fisher House Boston, an organization that secures lodging for military families, free of charge, when they have a family member receiving in-patient care at a Boston hospital.

The caller, weary and worried, can’t believe such a program exists and can take away a piece of their stress.

Boston’s Fisher House falls under parent company, Fisher House Foundation, which provides lodging for military families undergoing treatment at VA hospitals. But DeLuca’s Boston program, which launched in 2013, is the first of its kind. It extends to all hospitals in the city. The patient can be a child, spouse or immediate relative of a service member in all branches of the military and the National Guard.

The Fisher House Boston provides lodging for as long as they need and for as many visits as they need, DeLuca said. One meal per day is also provided. Fisher House Boston, which runs solely on donations, also collects gift cards to distribute.

DeLuca brushes aside any praise for the work she undertakes. It’s the least she can do for those who served their country, she feels.

“If you served, we serve you,” she said. While people recognize the service of the military, she added, their families aren’t often thought of, and the role they play is just as large.

“When a man or woman raises their hand to serve the country, their family is immediately drafted at that moment,” DeLuca said. “Why wouldn’t we care for the entire family?”

While the gratitude of families is always plentiful, it isn’t the only accolades DeLuca received lately.

At the end of March, the Fisher House Boston director was awarded the Service Act Award by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society during the Citizen Honors Awards in Arlington, Virginia.

“It’s still a little unbelievable; it was surreal,” DeLuca said.

DeLuca was accompanied by several family members and friends, including her daughter, Abigail, director of operations for Fisher House Boston. After the weekend in Washington, D.C., which included the awards ceremony and dinner, and a trip to Arlington National Cemetery for a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, DeLuca was back at work on Monday. After all, calls and texts come in at all hours.

“If they have a question, we’re right here so they are never alone,” she said.

“It’s a passion project as much as a job.”

Who inspires you?

The families that I serve through the Fisher House Boston inspire me. To know what they have sacrificed for me and my family is what makes this work so special. I feel honored to be able to give back to them in this way.

What’s something that people might be surprised to learn about you?

Prior to the Fisher House of Boston, I owned a florist and a landscaping company. That work was actually what introduced me to the Fisher House of Boston. To this day our home is always filled with flowers, they make every space so bright and happy!

What advice would you give to a young professional just embarking on their career?

Know that opportunities are everywhere. Always put your best foot forward, because you never know who is in the room with you.

What motivates you?

Knowing that there are people out there going through hard times that I could help to alleviate. I have a unique ability, in my position, to provide support that few others can. I do not take this lightly and work to ensure that I am always there for those who need me.

What’s one thing you could not live without?

Coffee. No joke, I am Starbucks’ number one customer. Medium black coffee, iced, with no classic syrup. Oh, and my family of course!

How do you make an impact?

By serving others. I like to say that I am in the blessings business. I am able to identify the needs of the families that I serve, and then I do all that I can to remove any stress or barrier that I can for them. I aim to provide a calm in someone else’s storm. I

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