This Memorial Day, you’re probably planning to participate in a cookout, go see a parade, or visit a memorial commemorating our fallen soldiers. If you’re also looking for a way to give back to soldiers and their families this Memorial Day, take a look at the Wounded Warrior Project and the multitude of ways you can help it grow and thrive.
What is the Wounded Warrior Project?
In 2003, a group of veterans and their friends founded the Wounded Warrior Project in Roanoke, Virginia. Since then, they have grown into a national organization with teammates and volunteers throughout the country. The project’s mission is to honor and empower veterans who have “incurred a physical or mental injury, illness, or wound, co-incident to [their] military service on or after September 11, 2001.” The program is also open to family members and caregivers of wounded warriors.
What Does the Wounded Warrior Project Do?
The Wounded Warrior Project offers more than 20 programs and services to injured service members and their families. Their services range from facilitating peer support groups to providing home health care services for service members with debilitating physical injuries. One way the program empowers wounded warriors is through adaptive sports that provide veterans with an opportunity to participate in athletic events. They also provide a variety of mental health services to warriors who suffer from depression, PTSD, or other mental illnesses. They provide mental health care and support through four medical partners, a support hotline, and Project Odyssey. Project Odyssey is a 12-week, adventure-based mental health program designed to help heal the invisible wounds of service.
These are just a few of the ways that the Wounded Warrior Project helps to provide our servicemen and women with a better quality of life.
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How Can You Support the Wounded Warrior Project?
Just like there are several programs to help wounded warriors, there are many opportunities for you to get involved. The simplest way you can help is to donate to the project and help it expand. You can do that through pre-tax deductibles or by hosting a fundraiser. You can also help raise awareness about the program by sharing it on social media.
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