About the Wounded Warrior Foundation
Giving Back – the Wounded Warrior Project & More
Not everyone is cut out to be on the frontlines of a battlefield, actively fighting for a greater cause. For those of us either too squeamish, too flat-footed or otherwise missing the mark as an ideal military candidate, there is another way to lend a hand.
You can support Wounded Warrior Project and other service programs, such as:
Wars are not fought exclusively in the depths of some foreign country, just beyond civilian reach. The struggle and fight for freedom and independence continues throughout our community and the nation even after a war is over. Many soldiers return home from their service with physical, mental and emotional injuries. Civilians play an extremely important role in the lives of these soldiers both while they are away, and when they return home. For example, The Wounded Warrior Project is an organization dedicated to honoring and empowering the injured veterans and service members of the wars stemming from the tragic events of September 11, 2001.
Who Does The Wounded Warrior Project Serve?
The events of September 11, 2001 were a catalyst for Operation Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, and New Dawn. The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) aims to provide the soldiers of these military efforts with the tools and training necessary to become the most successful and well-adjusted generation of wounded service members in the nation.
An unprecedented amount of soldiers are surviving severe injuries and wounds due to advancements in medical technology and body armor. Although lucky to be alive, these service members now face the struggles of transitioning to civilian life – new jobs, possibly new limbs, and new routines. Although many soldiers are fortunate to escape the battlefield without physical injuries, an estimated 400,000 service members battle combat-related stress, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
How Does Wounded Warrior Project Help?
The WWP takes a holistic approach to helping wounded soldiers heal and navigate the transition into a normal life. It offers a variety of interactive programs tailored to fit the needs of each individual soldier along with their families.
Key programs of the WWP include:
- Combat Stress Recovery Program: This program addresses the soldier’s mental health and cognitive needs. They help a warrior adjust to the new normal through programs like Restore Warriors and Project Odyssey, as demonstrated in this WWP video.
- Family Support Retreats: Provides counseling and support for family members of Wounded Warrior. All expenses are paid for the week-end retreat by the WWP. They provide rest and rejuvenation to family members who are full time supporters/caregivers.
- Peer Mentoring –This program facilitates one-on-one friendships with fellow warriors who can act as guides and motivators, helping them understand readjustment and achievement as our “hero’s begin life again.”
- Warriors to Work – A career guidance service offers career guidance services for members looking to join the civilian workforce. They match skills and experience to the needs of employers and help them get connected with qualified candidates.
- Campus Services– Provides academic support services which encourage soldiers to set and/or complete their educational or vocational goals for a better future.
- Physical Health and Wellness– Offers secondary rehabilitation, recreation, adaptive sports programs and strategies to remain physically active, which promotes physical health and wellness after a soldier’s injury.
Five Ways to Support a Soldier
To help the WWP and other organizations like Folds of Honor Foundation, the USO, VFW and the Red Cross you can:
1. Donate – Make a one-time donation to the organization. Sign up for a monthly gift program or register for a fundraising event where WWP, the FOH and other organizations will receive a portion of all of the money raised. To see how programs like these impact families, view the FOH’s Natasha Mounsey story video.
2. Volunteer – Volunteers are the backbone of WWP, FOH, USO, VFW and the Red Cross. Check each organization’s web site daily for various opportunities to volunteer your time.
3. Share – Advocate for WWP and others through your social media outlets. Educate your friends and family on the mission. Encourage your peers to get involved.
4. Thanks – WWP and other organizations makes it easy to send a “Thank You Card” to a wounded warrior through their Facebook pages. Simply fill out an e-thank you card with your personal message, and positively impact a soldier’s day. You can have fun , feel good and make an impact by supporting programs like the VFW, WWP – Tough Mudder, FOH- PGA annual Golf Tournament, and the USO, which is always doing something very special like book drives and provides morale, welfare and recreation services to troops through the USO2GO.
5. Be a Tough Mudder – The nationwide obstacle race Tough Mudder sponsors WWP, and has raised more than $5 million in support of injured soldiers. These programs and others like them support the spouses and children of fallen and/or disabled men and woman who were wounded or killed in the line of duty. They encompass children’s funds, scholarships, and other assistants, providing hope and opportunity to the men and women and their families who gave their all.
Supporting our service men and women is the right thing to do. After all, freedom is not free. Say thank you with your donation and change a life, for they are your mother, father, and sister, brother who gave selflessly, and stood in your place to keep America free.
Additional Resources
- How Wounded Soldiers Overcame their Injuries, by the Wounded Warriors Project
- IED IMPACT, by iTunes. Users can capture photos and videos during combat and upload directly to “iPhone.”
- Wounded Warrior Regiment, by iTunes. This iTunes app provides information for the recovery of Marine Veterans, their families and caregivers.
- Rescue 5 Luncheon for Wounded Warriors, by The Staten Island Advance Newspaper
- Explanation of IED IMPACT App, by Signal Magazine. Explains how to use the IED IMPACT app.
Apps
- Wounded Warrior, by Wounded Warrior Regiment, available for free on iTunes
