Academy Women
http://www.academywomen.org/
Academy Women is a global leadership and professional development organization providing award-winning eMentor Program Services, world-class events, and extensive networking and development opportunities.
Military women, families, and veterans who proudly serve often face professional challenges, PTSD, sexual assault, and transition issues in silent isolation. Through mentorship, online community building, events, and transition assistance, we help our heroes reach their highest potential.
ACT Today (Autism Care and Treatment Today)
http://www.acttodayformilitaryfamilies.org/
ACT Today! (Autism Care and Treatment Today!), is a national non-profit organization whose mission is to raise awareness and provide treatment services to families that cannot afford the treatments and services their children require. Recognizing the extraordinary challenges military families experience (waging a battle on two fronts...one for their country and another for their children), ACT Today! for Military Families is a dedicated fund to assist military families impacted by autism. ACT Today! for Military Families works to improve awareness and delivery of effective autism services, and provides financial assistance to military families to help defray out-of-pocket costs associated with autism treatments and other quality of life programs.
ALPHA K9
http://alphak9.biz/
Alpha K9 is a Combat Disabled Veteran run Non-Profit organization dedicated to the principle of providing highly skilled and effective Service Dogs and Working Dogs to those whose lives depend on them.
Decades of military service and real world experience has allowed the Alpha K9 team to witness firsthand the difficulties Veterans and those with Emotional Disabilities face. These experiences are the driving force behind the organization and the reason we adhere to the highest standards of training and ethics in the industry.
American Combat Veterans of War
http://www.acvow.org/
Safe Warrior Outreach Program
All veterans and active duty military personnel are invited to attend these group sessions. The program is led by combat veterans and is held each Tuesday in Oceanside. Attendees talk about whatever is on their mind and often work through post traumatic stress related issues with other veterans. To inquire about the Safe Warrior Outreach Program call 858-552-7501 or just come to a meeting.
We meet every Tuesday evening at 1900 hrs at 3508 Seagate Way, #160, Oceanside, CA 92056. We are across the parking lot from the VA Health Clinic.
The Safe Lioness Program
Female warriors are often overlooked as combat veterans and many of them suffer from the effects of combat stress just as the men do. It is a priority of ACVOW to implement a program for female warriors as soon as possible, but we cannot do it without funding.
Individual Support
All ACVOW staff members are available to speak, one-on-one, with military personnel and family members to help individuals cope with battlefield related stress. If you or anyone you know exhibits any of the following characteristics, please call ACVOW at 858-552-7501:
- Depression
- Isolation
- Rage
- Alienation: Avoidance of Feelings
- Survival Guilt
- Anxiety Reactions
- Intrusive Thoughts
- Recurrent, re-experiencing of the trauma
- Avoidance to the point of having a phobia of places, people, and experiences.
- Chronic physical signs of hyper-arousal, including sleep problems, trouble concentrating, irritability, anger, poor concentration, blackouts or difficulty remembering things, increased tendency and reaction to being startled, and hyper-vigilance to threat.
When troops return from deployment, ACVOW is made available to address them and their families on recognizing the signs of PTSD. Troops are not only encouraged to be aware of the signs for themselves, but among each other as well.
Resources for help with combat stress are distributed to every individual. Contact information and meeting schedules for the Safe Warrior Outreach Program (mentioned above) are available to the troops should they believe it to be necessary to contact ACVOW.
Counseling
ACVOW will encourage counseling from professional counselors and help fight the stigma of seeking treatment for post traumatic stress. ACVOW is an excellent conduit between military personnel and professional counseling such as that provided by the VA and Marine Corps Family Services.
Veterans Administration Assistance
As the best medical health care system in the world, the VA has many valuable resources for veterans, but it can also be quite literally a massive and daunting bureaucracy. Many veterans feel overwhelmed and discouraged when seeking assistance from the VA and often never obtain the assistance they deserve. With an office on the first floor of the VA hospital, ACVOW can help get them to the right place and avoid unnecessary delays in treatment.
Resources
There are many assistance programs for veterans that often go unused because veterans are unaware of their existence or unsure of where to find them. ACVOW can help direct veterans to the right organizations and agencies for their needs.
Advocacy
ACVOW staff members speak on behalf of military personnel and veterans through regular speaking engagements and media appearances. To book an ACVOW speaker for your organization, please email Bill Rider at [email protected].
American Council on Exercise
http://www.acefitness.org/
The American Council on Exercise is a nonprofit organization committed to enriching quality of life through safe and effective exercise and physical activity. As America’s Authority on Fitness, ACE protects all segments of society against ineffective fitness products, programs and trends through its ongoing public education, outreach and research. ACE further protects the public by setting certification and continuing education standards for fitness professionals.
America's Child
http://www.americaschild.org/
America's Child was established for the sole purpose of providing college education and welfare assistance to every child whose military parent gave their life to protect us from the horrors they faced on a daily basis. We are committed to providing assistance to the surviving children of our military heroes who have already given their lives in patriotic service to their country fighting our nation's war against terrorism as part of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and the Philippines, Operation Iraqi Freedom or future conflicts.
Assistance Dogs International
http://www.assistancedogsinternational.org
Assistance dogs not only provide a specific service to their handlers, but also greatly enhance the quality of their lives with a new sense of freedom and independence.
There are three types of Assistance Dogs:
- Guide Dogs – for the blind and the visually impaired
- Hearing Dogs – for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Service Dogs – for people with disabilities other than those related to vision or hearing
Calls for Recruits.org
http://callsforrecruits.org/phone-cards-info/
It is the mission of Calls for Recruits to provide Service Members the resources they need to keep in touch with Family members and Loved Ones. We are dedicated to make sure that each and every person that contacts us will receive FREE pre-paid calling cards for Service Members to utilize. We want to thank Every Service Member of the Armed Forces for their Service to this Great Nation!
Canine Companions for Independence
http://www.cci.org/
Canine Companions for Independence has provided assistance dogs to US war veterans across the country. With the increase in wounded veterans who could benefit from an assistance dog, we want to do more. For a veteran making a new start putting their life back together from an injury, an assistance dog can provide the help they need to regain independence.
Because of this mission, we are thrilled to be part of PetSmart for Patriots, a joint endeavor between PetSmart and Canine Companions for Independence, in support of Canine Companions' Wounded Veterans Initiative. The partnership helps increase access to assistance dogs for the military veterans who need them.
Challenged Athletes Foundation
http://www.challengedathletes.org/
Challenged Athletes Foundation's® (CAF) Operation Rebound® program is the premier sports and fitness program for American military personnel, veterans and first responders with permanent physical disabilities. It provides unparalleled opportunities to pursue active, athletic lifestyles by offering access to funding for equipment and training and competition expenses, Military Medical Center Physical Training (MMCPT) and sports clinics.
Operation Rebound supports those who have served honorably through:
- Activity: Operation Rebound funds equipment, training and travel expenses that can help our injured troops and first responders to harness the healing power of sport – whether the goal is to win Paralympic gold or just run around the block.
. NOTE: This is a year-round program that is separate from CAF's Access for Athletes. - Military Medical Center Physical Training (MMCPT) which provides structured physical training program for active-duty service members recovering from permanent physical injuries at military medical centers. CAF works with resident prosthetists, recreational therapists, and medical hold unit commanders to provide opportunities for physical training that is in compliance with discrete rehabilitation programs and applicable military regulations.
- Sports Clinics are held throughout the year at military medical centers and other locations in the community. Expert coaches and CAF elite athletes provide instruction and mentorship to introduce beginner athletes to a range of sports including bicycling, handcycling, running, swimming, basketball and other sports.
For questions please Operation Rebound Program Manager, Nico Marcolongo at 858.210.3525, or[email protected].
Chapman University
http://www.chapman.edu/
Chapman University School of Law and University of California at Berkeley Law School launched the Chapman Berkeley Soldier’s Project, an exciting partnership in which students at Berkeley participate in Chapman’s AMVETS Legal Clinic to represent veterans and active duty troops in a variety of civil legal claims. As part of this program, Professor Kyndra Rotunda, who heads up Chapman’s program, has been appointed as a Lecturer at Berkeley. She shares the AMVETS Legal Clinic model and assist in training and supervising Berkeley Law students participating in the program.
Coming Home Project
http://www.cominghomeproject.net/
The Coming Home™ Project is a non-profit organization providing holistic services for veterans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, their families, and their service providers. We are a multidisciplinary and inclusive collaborative of psychotherapists, veterans, family members, and interfaith leaders committed to improving the psychological, emotional, spiritual, and relationship challenges faced by OIF/OEF service members and veterans, family members, and service providers during all stages of deployment (pre-deployment, during, and reintegration).
Convalescent Aid Society
http://cas1.org/
The Convalescent Aid Society (CAS) is a non-profit organization in continuous operation since 1923, dedicated to improving the quality of life for residents in Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley, including Burbank, Glendale and La Cañada Flintridge, through the free loan of durable medical equipment for in-home use.
We bring together a caring community of generous friends who donate both needed equipment and funds so that we can serve more families.
Convalescent Aid Society is dedicated to providing the free loan of durable medical equipment (DME) for in-home use in order to:
- Improve the quality of life,
- Restore and prolong mobility,
- Promote continued independence and autonomy, and
- Champion sustainable and cost effective re-use, repair and recycling of DME.
Dogs on Deployment
http://dogsondeployment.org/
Military members nation-wide confront a multitude of problems during their careers, the last thing they need to worry about is their pet's care during their service commitments. Dogs On Deployment is a 501(c)(3) national non-profit which provides an online network for service members to search for volunteers who are willing to board their pets during their owner's service commitments. Dogs on Deployment promotes responsible, life-long pet ownership by military pet owners by advocating for military pet owner rights, providing educational resources and granting financial assistance for military pet owners during times of emergency. Join Dogs on Deployment's mission in changing the lives of our military members and their pets.
Dog Tags For Kids
http://dogtagsforkids.com/
The Dog Tags for Kids Project is dedicated to helping United States Service men and women in most harm's way connect with their children at home. Specially engraved Dog Tags in the appropriate service color are provided FREE to the service members for their children. The dog tags must come from the parents so all dog tags are sent at the request of the service members to send to their children; from their hearts to their children’s hearts.
East Bay Stand Down
http://www.eastbaystanddown.org/
While its primary goal is helping homeless Veterans access the resources needed, including housing, to regain their highest level of independence; its secondary goal is to bring our community and service providers together in a collaborative format that can build relationships throughout the year that positively benefit homeless Veterans.
The East Bay Stand Down is a consortium of community organizations coming together to provide a four-day event every other year that bring together the nine-county homeless and at-risk military Veterans living in the Bay Area of California, connecting them with services.
Family Caregiver Alliance
https://caregiver.org/
FCA's work intersects three key areas: caregiver services, policy and research. But across all agency programs, the services and products developed and delivered are based on real needs of real caregivers - those families we hear from and work with every day.
Caregiver Services on the regional and national levels include:
Bay Area Caregiver Resource Center: FCA works most closely with family caregivers in the San Francisco Bay Area counties of: San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa and Marin. We offer comphrensive consultation services that result in an action plan for families with ongoing follow up from clinically trained staff.
In addition, based on meeting eligibility requirements, family caregivers in the San Francisco Bay Area may be provided with short-term respite and counseling, legal consultation with a qualified elder law attorney as well as high quality education programs that build direct care skills, teach stress-reduction and wellness techniques and provide wide range of up to date topics needed by caregivers.
For families who live outside the San Francisco Bay Area region, we offer the Family Care Navigator, the first-of-its-kind, comprehensive, online guide to help families locate caregiver support programs and services in all 50 states. Caregivers and professionals find the Navigator an invaluable tool to locate information and specific services in an easy-to-read chart format.
Farmers Veteran coalition
http://www.farmvetco.org/
Homegrown By Heroes (HBH) is a marketing/branding program that provides farmer-veterans a distinctive label they may affix on their agricultural products to be displayed to the consumer at point of sale. The label will inform consumers that the product was produced in the United States by a veteran who served our country in the military. Initially, this program was only available to farmers in the commonwealth of Kentucky, but has soon grown over the state lines expanding clear across America. With the help of Farmer Veteran Coalition, HBH will soon take over the way consumers think and feel when purchasing agricultural products.
Focus
http://www.focusproject.org/
FOCUS (Families OverComing Under Stress™) provides resiliency training to military children and families. It teaches practical skills to meet the challenges of deployment and reintegration, to communicate and solve problems effectively, and to successfully set goals together and create a shared family story.
Service members learn skills to address many of the changes that families experience throughout the deployment cycle:
- How to talk with kids about departures and returns
- How to stay connected with a spouse and kids and remain part of important family events even when separated by distance
- How to re-establish old family routines that worked well and come up with new ones when needed
- How to reconnect with a spouse and kids, which can be difficult after long separations
- How to manage combat stress and deployment reminders
- How to take care of themselves while their husband or wife is deployed, in order to feel better prepared to support the kids
- How to talk to their husband or wife before they deploy about any changes in family routines or responsibilities that might be necessary to keep the family and household on track
- How to talk to kids when they are worried about their mom or dad's safety while they are deployed, or about their own safety while they remain at home
- How to manage kids' behavior if they are acting out at home or in school
- How to help kids stay connected and share important events, such as the first day of school, a birthday, or an important game, with their mom or dad when they are deployed
- How to support their husband or wife if they are dealing with combat stress reactions or reminders
- How to identify if someone in the family needs more assistance managing distress
When a parent is in the military, there may be times when they have to go away to work. For lots of kids and teens, this can be hard. FOCUS shows kids and teens some things that might make this time a little easier:
- How kids and teens can let parents know when they're having a hard time—for example, if they're worried about their mom or dad when they're away, or just missing them a lot
- How kids and teens can talk to their parents about the changes in the family before, while, or after their mom or dad went away—for example, they might be mad or sad that they have to miss out on a lot of things that their friends still get to do
- How kids and teens can stay connected with their mom or dad and share important events like the first day of school, a birthday, or an important game when they are away
- How to get used to having their mom or dad around again when they come back
- How kids and teens can talk to friends at school so their friends have a better idea of what they're going throug
Foodbank of Santa Barbara County
http://www.foodbanksbc.org/
The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County's mission is to provide nourishment to those in need by acquiring and distributing safe nutritious foods via local agencies and providing education to solve hunger and nutritional problems in Santa Barbara County. During 2012, the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County distributed 11.5 million pounds of food (of which four million pounds was fresh produce) from two warehouse locations in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria. In 2012, over 140,000 people in Santa Barbara County were served by the Foodbank's member agency network of 300 nonprofit social service agencies and programs.
4 PAWS 4 PATRIOTS
http://4paws4patriots.org/
4 PAWS 4 PATRIOTS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established to provide free service dogs to disabled veterans across the United States. We utilize various resources including staff trainers, contract trainers and local animal shelters to provide service dogs, training, and equipment to Disabled American Veterans across the country.
Gabby Jack Ranch
http://gabbyjackranch.org/
The Homefront Dogs is a special Gabby Jack Ranch program offered to show appreciation for the sacrifices of our returning military men and women. Service dogs are instrumental in easing the veteran back into civilian life, mitigating their suffering from physical and psychological disabilities, often resulting from their service. Puppies are matched to and placed with returning US veterans; the veteran then attends weekly training classes to teach his/her puppy the skills necessary to become a certified public access service dog. This training enables the veteran to enjoy more time as a civilian as he/she relies on the service dog to help navigate through difficult situations.
Veterans who want to train their own dogs are welcome to apply for the service dog training classes; they must attend the initial Orientation with their dog and, upon successful dog evaluation, they are scheduled to begin classes.
We do not offer fully trained service dogs.
Homefront Dogs relies on generous donations and outside funding. We are only able to offer a puppy and training to veterans when funding permits. If we do not have sufficient funding at the time of application, we will conduct the interview and place the approved veteran on a wait list for funding to support his or her service dog program. The full price of a service dog puppy and training program is $5000.00, we encourage businesses and organizations to sponsor a service dog team by donating this full amount. Any donation is appreciated and all donations are appreciated; they are applied to scholarships that benefit our service men or women as they pursue their independence through service dog training.
Gabby Jack Ranch will help approved veterans with fundraising events within their communities, families, employers, etc. If you wish to begin your service dog program and do not have the full price, we do accept payments.
Our program focus is on PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), depression and other psychological disabilities. Often these psychological disabilities are compounded by certain physical issues such as poor balance, nightmares, dizziness, hearing loss, loss of coordination, etc. We offer service dog training individually focused on all of the components of the client’s condition. The service dog placement and training program is available to any U.S. Combat Veteran who has been diagnosed with PTSD, no matter how long the veteran has been home.
Goodwill Southern California
http://www.goodwillsocal.org/
Founded in 1916, Goodwill Southern California (GSC) serves persons with disabilities or other vocational disadvantages, and local businesses seeking qualified employees, by providing education, skills training, work experience and job placement services. More than 107,000 people and businesses benefit from GSC's education, job training and placement programs annually. GSC cares for the Earth, too, by recycling more than 57 million pounds of textiles, household goods, paper, and electronics each year. GSC operates 69 retail stores, 44 attended donation centers, three campuses, four WorkSource Center, and 23 job service sites in the counties of Los Angeles (north of Rosecrans Avenue), Riverside and San Bernardino.
Healing Horses & Armed Forces
http://www.risingmoonranch.org/
Healing Horses & Armed Forces is a nonprofit organization created for veterans, service members and their families that utilizes the human, equine connection for the purpose of improving the quality of life after and during service to our country.
Healthline
http://www.healthline.com/health/bipolar-disorder
Healthline’s mission is to make the people of the world healthier through the power of information.
Bipolar disorder is a mental condition that causes a person to fluctuate between mania and depression. It is characterized by unusual shifts in mood and energy levels. Bipolar disorder is also sometimes called “manic-depressive illness.”
Heart of the Horse Therapy Ranch
http://heartofthehorseranch.com/
Heart of the Horse Therapy Ranch is committed to promoting therapeutic riding as an efficacious treatment modality for those who suffer from physical, mental or emotional disorders by developing community awareness of equine assisted/ facilitated therapy.
The population HHTR serves ranges from those who are physically challenged to those with emotional or behavioral disorders. Though not everyone with disabilities can safely participate in therapeutic riding activities, HHTR serves a broad segment of the disable community & Veterans from the Fresno VA Hospital here in the central valley.
Heart of the Horse Therapy Ranch’s mission is to help exceptional central valley citizens achieve new heights and discover new abilities through supervised therapeutic equestrian activities.
Help Hospitalized Veterans
http://hhv.org/
Help Hospitalized Veterans’ (HHV) primary mission is to provide armed service and military veteran patients receiving care at US federal, state, and commercial medical or nursing home care facilities with therapeutic arts & crafts kits. The kits help in keeping hands active and minds alert during days and sometimes even weeks of recuperation after surgery or rehabilitation. Arts and crafts kits along with other therapeutic products and services HHV provides, come as a very welcome assurance to veteran patients that they have not been forgotten – that “someone out there really does care.” With increased demand for services placed upon the federal, state and commercial hospital and nursing home care facilities, HHV continues to focus on its delivery of product and support to the veterans of past and present. HHV will promote the general welfare of armed service veterans and military patients so that, despite profound disabilities and pain, they maintain a sense of pride, self-confidence and dignity during their rehabilitation process.
Hire Patriots
http://hirepatriots.com/
It creates daily and vocational opportunities for U.S. military: Active duty, Reserves, Guard, veterans and their spouses. This is a free job board for residents and businesses to hire their local military, veterans and their spouses. We currently have HirePatriots websites in multiple areas of the U.S. This popular program is quickly spreading into every state with the collaboration of veteran owned and patriotic businesses, passionate volunteers, and schools. -- The goal of the HirePatriots program is to establish HirePatriots job boards in all 50 states, near every active US military base and throughout every region. This will enable us to assist hundreds of thousands of U.S. Military: Active duty, Reserves, Guard, veterans and their spouses every year.
Hire Veterans.com
http://www.hireveterans.com/
Help with the job search for veterans.
JOB SEEKERS
Register
Post Resumes
Find Jobs
Get jobs by email
Homefront America, Inc
http://www.homefrontamerica.org/
To honor and hold dear those who willingly defend our freedoms, and to serve their families -especially the children - by
providing quality, caring, and meaningful assistance in their times of need.
OUR PROGRAMS
- Back to School “Pack for Success” – Backpacks filled with school supplies
- American Patriot Freedom Scholarships for military dependent children
- Troop & Family Morale Programs - Special events, Care Packages, Homecoming, etc.
- Homefront Holidays – Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas
- Civic and Leadership Programs for military youth
- Dental Assistance Referrals
http://www.interfaithservices.org/our-programs/veterans-assistance/
Interfaith Community Services, was founded in 1982 by a handful of diverse faith communities to address the needs of low-income, homeless, and under-served people in North San Diego County.Separately, these congregations were providing relief to people in need, but by creating Interfaith they were better able to collaborate to make a bigger impact on the needs of people in our community.
Interfaith is a leading provider of veterans assistance programs in San Diego County, we offer programs in the following areas:
- Emergency Shelter
- Transitional Housing
- Employment Assistance
- Recuperative Care
- Mental Health
- Homeless Prevention
Iraq Star Inc.
http://www.iraqstar.org/
Provides reconstructive surgery to returning wounded from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Jessica's Hope Project
http://www.jessicashopeproject.org/
Jessica’s Hope Project is a newly founded 501 c 3 non-profit organization that focuses on sending fitness-oriented care packages overseas to all branches to the military in many different parts of the world. It started with a simple email to the CEO of 24 Hour Fitness. We are now trying to raise money to cover the shipping of care packages overseas to our deployed military.
Jewish Free Loan Association
http://www.jfla.org/
The Jewish Free Loan Association is a nonprofit agency offering assistance to people of all faiths facing financial challenges. For more than 100 years, JFLA has provided a helping hand instead of a handout to hundreds of thousands of people through interest-free loans for emergencies, education, developing small businesses, healthcare and life cycle events. JFLA is a source of economic justice in the community, providing cash in hand to empower borrowers and promote self-sufficiency.
Junior Blind of America
http://www.juniorblind.org/
Junior Blind of America was founded in 1953 to provide recreational services for children who were blind or visually impaired. Junior Blind of America provides a wide range of free services for infants, children, teens and adults who are blind, visually impaired or multi-disabled. Through unique programs that offer early intervention therapy, education, recreation and rehabilitation, our students learn the skills that will help them overcome challenges, maximize their potential and achieve their highest level of independence. All services are offered free of charge.
Kalliopeia Foundation
http://www.kalliopeia.org/
Kalliopeia Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation that contributes to the evolution of communities and cultures that honor the unity at the heart of life's astounding diversity. Through our grantmaking we seek to strengthen a collective recognition of the oneness of humanity.
Kalliopeia Foundation is dedicated to supporting deeply holistic organizations and projects in a wide variety of fields that awaken us to our interdependence with one another and with the Earth. We seek to join with others in the work of honoring our Earth, its peoples, creatures, and plants, and re-aligning our systems of living to be in accord with the principles of reverence, resilience, reciprocity, and respect for all life.
Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue
http://wildhorserescue.org/
Wounded veterans participate in our Wild Horse Warrior Boot Camp to learn how to gentle wild mustangs. The process of gaining the horses’ trust through authentic and congruent word, action and emotion increases insight and behavior change in the veteran as well as the horse. The relationship between horse and human, created through our wild horse gentling techniques and camp fire sharing, encourages healing of physical, emotional and spiritual trauma and inspires building a “new” intimacy with loved ones at home.
This unique equine healing program brings veterans coming home from deployment with physical, mental and emotional wounds to our rescue ranch for 3 or 4 days to find healing in the act of gentling wild horses. As the wild mustangs become gentled by the Warriors, the Warriors themselves also become “gentled”, finding new purpose and gaining insight into how trauma creates overwhelming fear and sadness which, in turn, creates anger.
Through the gentling and ground training activities, horses and human began to build honest communication, understanding and a relationship based on respect and trust. Each moment during this process, the clients began to reveal themselves in a safe manner, observing their own behavior, and receiving direct and immediate feedback while connecting with another living being. The self-discovery individuals experienced with a horse provided them with more knowledge and accountability often times too threatening to explore even with a therapist. Because of the experiential aspect of our programs, changes in behavior and increased insight often arise quickly and have a lasting transferable effect.
Working with horses, asks the participant to be congruent in thoughts and actions, creating mind and body integration. Our sessions are supervised by trained horse clinicians with a therapist present. Each day consists of process groups exploring how these new insights and behaviors can re-build family relationships and re-cover the confidence needed for employment.
Make A Difference Fund
http://www.makeadifferencefund.org/
The Make A Difference Fund was established to help women in the United States afford access to safe abortions. The fund has been open for over 20 years and 100% of the money raised is pledged to women in need and sent directly to established clinics.
MHN Government Services
https://www.mhngs.com/
Welcome to MHN Government Services, behavioral health and wellness expert and contractor to the U.S. government. We provide Active Service Members, Guard and Reserve Components, their families and Veterans with the coping skills, proven behavioral techniques and psycho-education necessary to thrive in the face of the challenges presented by the military lifestyle.
Military & Family Life Counseling (MFLC) Program
https://www.mhngs.com/app/programsandservices/mflc_program.content
Nearly ten years ago, the Department of Defense (DoD) was seeking support services that could complement existing military behavioral health programs to support Service Members and their families who were struggling under the effects of extended and repeated deployments due to the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. MHN Government Services, Inc. (MHNGS) pilot solution to DoD’s challenge became what is perhaps the most important support program offered to Service Members and their families today: the Military & Family Life Counseling (MFLC) Program.
Military Outreach Ministry Camp Pendleton
http://www.mom4usa.org/
MOM4USA’s mission is to shine a light on the unique lifestyle of the military family and connect with partners in the community to show our appreciation. We strive to create opportunities for giving, community service and to tell the story of hundreds of unique families. Our programs provide young military families with gifts of gratitude from the community that will express thanks and help improve their quality of life.
Our monthly food program provides thousands of military families with supplemental food each year.
Our Baby Care Packages:
DONATION ITEMS
HANDMADE CRIB QUILTS
RECEIVING BLANKETS
ONESIES/SLEEPERS/GOWNS!
HATS/SOCKS/BIBS/BURP PADS
CRIB SHEET/TOWEL SET
NAIL KIT/SAFETY ITEMS!
SMALL TOY (TEETHER)
YOUR CARD TO NEW PARENTS
Military Women In Need
http://www.militarywomeninneed.org/
It is the mission of Military Women In Need to empower female veterans and survivors of veterans (widows) to live their lives with independence and dignity. Through housing assistance, emergency subsidies, resource and referral services, and home visits, Military Women In Need serves those who sacrificed for our freedom.
Move America Forward
http://www.moveamericaforward.org/
Move America Forward (MAF) is a military charity and the nation’s largest grassroots pro-troop organization, MAF is dedicated to supporting the brave men and women of our Armed Forces and their missions to defeat terrorism. MAF is supported by hundreds of thousands of pro-troop activists, veterans, and military families all across the nation who share in our unwavering support.
We work with other non-profits, military service organizations, corporate sponsors, community networks and private citizens to support our Military and demonstrate affirmatively our appreciation and admiration for their service to America.
It is our strong belief that American citizens must be enlisted in the effort to let our troops know that they are in our hearts and prayers and that we will defend their service and honor them here on the homefront while they protect America on the frontlines overseas.
We have delivered over 200 tons of care packages to the front lines of Afghanistan and Iraq. In partnership with our supporters each Care Package comes with a wide array of popular items requested by our troops. Most importantly they include a personal message from the person who donated the care package.
National Child Traumatic Stress Network
http://www.nctsnet.org/
The NCTSN works to accomplish its mission of serving the nation's traumatized children and their families by:
- Raising public awareness of the scope and serious impact of child traumatic stress on the safety and healthy development of America's children and youth.
- Advancing a broad range of effective services and interventions by creating trauma-informed developmentally and culturally appropriate programs that improve the standard of care.
- Working with established systems of care including the health, mental health, education, law enforcement, child welfare, juvenile justice, and military family service systems to ensure that there is a comprehensive trauma-informed continuum of accessible care.
- Fostering a community dedicated to collaboration within and beyond the NCTSN to ensure that widely shared knowledge and skills become a sustainable national resource.
The Network is made up of three components:
National Center for Child Traumatic Stress (Category I)
The National Center for Child Traumatic Stress works with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to develop and maintain the Network structure, provide technical assistance to grantees within the Network, oversee resource development and dissemination, and coordinate national education and training efforts.
Treatment and Services Adaptation Centers (Category II)
The Treatment and Services Adaptation Centers provide national expertise on specific types of traumatic events, population groups, and service systems and support the specialized adaptation of effective treatment and service approaches for communities across the country.
Community Treatment and Services (CTS) Centers (Category III)
The Community Treatment and Services Centers implement and evaluate effective treatment and services in community settings and youth-serving service systems and collaborate with other Network centers on clinical issues, service approaches, policy, financing, and training issues.
National Veterans Transition Services, Inc.
http://www.nvtsi.org/
Our mission is to assist veterans in making a successful transition from military service to civilian life, with all veterans achieving, within their potential, their goals in the transition domains of employment and career, education, living situation, personal effectiveness/wellbeing, and community-life functioning. Enroll in Workshop ELIGIBLE PERSONNEL ARE AS FOLLOWS: Veterans of all Wars, Active Duty, Reserves, National Guard of all branches of the Military and their Spouses.
Personnel should be within their 3 month window of separation. Be prepared to provide proof of your Separation. The following will be accepted prior to the beginning of Workshop: Page 13, TAD No-Cost Orders, DD-214, or proof of prior service.
New Directions
http://newdirectionsinc.org/
Since 1992, New Directions has provided comprehensive services to thousands of veterans in Los Angeles County. More than 600 men and women seek assistance from the agency each year. As many as 220 veterans can receive round-the-clock care at our five different residential treatment centers. The agency is also developing a 147-unit supportive housing facility for homeless and disabled veterans.
New Directions offers a wide array of services. These include substance abuse treatment, counseling, remedial education, job training and placement, as well as parenting and money management classes. Legal and tax assistance are available, as is an active aftercare program and resources for alumni. Veterans leave New Directions with a savings account, housing, a job or other income, computer skills, renewed self-confidence and the support of mentors and peers. Such a transformation takes hard work, motivation and accountability, but the results are life altering—and for many veterans, life-saving.
Operation Care and Comfort
https://www.occ-usa.org/
OCC provides support and comfort to "adopted" units of deployed U.S. military service members, serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other conflict regions. Working within our community and through donations received from all over our country, we assemble and ship care packages to our adopted units every month until they return home.
Working with sports teams, event venues and season ticket holders, OCC has distributed tens of thousands donated tickets to military families and veterans in the San Francisco Bay area and Northern California, free of charge. If you are military active duty, reservist, veteran, military retiree or a Gold Star Family located in California, you may sign up to be included on our list for complimentary tickets to local sporting and entertainment events. Donated tickets are often last minute or on game day, so please give us the best phone numbers to reach you! We currently announce new tickets on our Facebook page- OCC.USA. Check daily then follow the instructions posted to request tickets.
Operation: Care and Comfort's "Adopt a Military Family" program has assisted San Francisco Bay Area and California military families for one time support. The Bay Area is one of the most expensive areas in the country to live, and many military families struggle just to purchase groceries, gasoline and other essentials.
Operation Dignity
http://operationdignity.org/
Operation Dignity has been providing emergency and transitional housing to homeless veterans and non-veterans since 1993. We are a full-fledged non-profit 501(c)(3) veteran run, service-enriched provider serving the homeless veterans and displaced populations of Alameda County. Our goal is to provide safe housing, nutritious meals, and a full array of services to help primarily homeless veterans and non-veterans so they can being their rehabilitation process. All of our housing offer clean and sober residences with on-site support for sobriety and other self-help groups.
Operation Family Fund
http://www.operationfamilyfund.org/
Operation Family Fund provides financial assistance to eligible recipients in the form of grants. Below is a description on how to apply for assistance.
Financial grants for each eligible member or members family to meet personal, short and long term living needs in these areas; Food, rent or utilities, emergency transportation and vehicle repair, funeral expenses, legal expenses, medical/dental expenses, assistance with a home, rental, lease, purchase or home improvements, assistance with the purchase, rent or lease of a vehicle. The Board of Directors has final approval of all funds allocation and selection of money managers.
Operation Freedom Paws
http://operationfreedompaws.org
Operation Freedom Paws empowers veterans and others with disabilities to restore their own independence
Operation Freedom Paws trains veterans and others with disabilities to train their own service dogs. We leverage the ability of the canine-human relationship to help our clients regain their sense of purpose, worth and value to society and their community.
A “service dog” is any guide dog, hearing dog, or other dog trained to perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a physical or mental disability.
Operation Freedom Paws works with individuals who have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Complex-Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) and/or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) symptoms, physical, neurological, psychological and/or mobility needs.
Service dogs are often considered in one of five categories:
Hearing Dogs(“Signal Dogs”) Alert deaf or hearing-impaired people to important sounds Psychiatric Service Dogs Help with mental health disabilities such as PTSD, Major Depression, Panic/Anxiety, agoraphobia, schizophrenia, and the like Mobility Dogs Perform tasks and provide support and balance for ambulation for those with limited mobility Medical Alert Dogs Trained to be sensitive to medical events or conditions, including diabetes, seizures, and cardiac conditions Guide Dogs*(“Seeing Eye Dogs”) Guide blind or visually impaired people around obstacles*Note that Operation Freedom Paws doesn’t work with guide dogs, but will refer you to a partner organization that specializes in dogs to assist visually impaired people.
What kind of tasks can service dogs perform? The list is long. Here are some examples:
- Blocking (creating space around an individual)
- Opening doors, drawers, and refrigerators
- Retrieving specific objects (videotapes, keys, remotes, etc.) or dropped articles
- Getting help
- Pulling on command
- Turning lights on or off
- Barking to alert of danger, doorbell, or telephone
- Stopping at certain objects
- Finding doors or access/egress
- Finding scents
- Walking slow to lead
- Carrying objects
Operation Gratitude
http://www.operationgratitude.com/
Operation Gratitude annually sends 150,000+ care packages filled with snacks, entertainment, hygiene and hand-made items, plus personal letters of appreciation, to Veterans, First Responders, Wounded Warriors, Care Givers and to individually named U.S. Service Members deployed overseas. Our mission is to lift the spirits and meet the evolving needs of our Active Duty and Veteran communities, and provide volunteer opportunities for all Americans to express their appreciation to members of our Military.
Operation Help A Hero
http://operationhelpahero.com/
Operation Help a Hero is dedicated to the well-being and care of our American military members. Our programs support
military units and families during times of crisis, deployment and need. Operation Help a Hero connects communities with service members and provides real opportunities to make a difference in the lives of those who serve our country, to include loved ones who serve on the homefront. We provide the average American ways to serve our country through programs that comfort, encourage, care for, and support military members and their families. We provide assistance, morale-boosting events, resources, and the necessary tools to help service members know they are appreciated and their families are taken care of in their absence.
Morale-boosting Events and Programs: OHH coordinates community events and drives as acts of appreciation
•Holiday and family events focused on building a community and connecting military units
•OPERATION RACK PACK: a barracks project designed to leave tokens of appreciation in the barracks rooms of single Marines as they return from deployment
•Video recording and photo shoot parties
•Build your-own-care package parties for units
Relief for Families in Need: OHH offers military families/individuals in crisis a place to go for help
•OPERATION CHRISTMAS SPIRIT: a program designed to provide relief, gifts and support over the holiday season
•OPERATION ENDURING SUPPORT: a program that supports families in crisis through financial assistance and connections with businesses, services and local communities
•OPERATION SWEET DREAMS FOR SPECIAL KIDS: an effort to provide financial assistance and needed services to military families who are fighting on an additional front -- for the care and treatment of their special needs children
•HEALING WORDS FOR WOUNDED WARRIORS PROJECT: drive for ipods, kindles, audio books, novels and
magazines for wounded warriors to keep their minds active during hospital stays
Support for the Deployed: OHH provides peace for patriots serving overseas
•Pen Pal Programs
•Care Package Parties
•OPERATION BEDTIME STORIES: an opportunity for service members to pre-record messages and book readings for family members which are sent out as a special surprise in the days following their deployment
•Banner parties/homecoming festivities
•Videos, photos and news of events in support of their families
Events and Programs for Loved Ones on the Homefront: OHH provides programs and events for family members as they endure deployments, allowing service members to focus on their mission
•OHH BABY SHOWERS: baby showers designed to pamper our warrior mommies-to-be while daddies are deployed
•Carnivals and events for children of deployed service members
•Midway celebration parties and days of pampering for spouses of deployed service members
•Youth projects focused on exposure to male/female role models in the community and fun-filled events for military children
Operation Mom
http://www.operationmom.org/
We honor our country and our freedom. However, Operation Mom is a non-political, non-religious organization. As an organization, we neither support or oppose war, police actions or endorse military decisions made by our country's leadership. We do fully embrace and support those who choose military service however. Our military members will never again return home to indifference, ungratefulness or be unsung. We recognize them as heroes for their faithfulness and courage. We honor our troops and love their families. Our purpose is about people and not a program or institution.
A "Little Touch of Home" is a local service project to communicate to our service personnel our gratitude for serving our nation and that they are not forgotten.
Our care package program was developed to send our military personnel “A Little Touch of Home”. We want to remind our military that they are not forgotten and appreciated for their sacrifices to our Country and our freedom.
This is only one outreach of Operation Mom. We also assist families with their needs as finances are available for real emergencies.
Operation Showers of Appreciation
http://osoamil.org/
Our mission is to honor our military families in a unique way by showering them with gifts for their newborn babies, providing support during difficult times, and letting them know the many sacrifices of both the families and service members are appreciated.
OSOA does this by hosting and co-hosting large scale baby showers in honor of our local military and their families. We are a volunteer and donation based organization. All proceeds are evenly dispersed at our Annual Baby Showers.
Our Heroes Journey
http://ourheroesjourney.com/
Our Heroes’ Journey adopts individuals, groups and units to provide the caring compassion that our nation’s men and women in uniform deserve. From financial assistance to emotional support, our organization helps ensure that military families have what they need, whether they’re currently serving or have served in the past.
The Pathway Home, Inc.
http://thepathwayhome.org/
The Pathway Home is a true healing community where we band together to embrace and assist the military personnel who have served our country in Iraq and Afghanistan.
By integrating evidence-based treatment, Best Practice Models, and holistic, innovative methods, we are able to dramatically improve the quality of life that these men experience by providing them the tools they need to successfully complete educational programs, obtain employment, build and maintain healthy personal relationships, and successfully reintegrate into society.
Pets for Vets
http://pets-for-vets.com/
At Pets for Vets, we believe our country owes military veterans a debt of gratitude. Our soldiers have been brave but many of them have returned with physical and emotional injuries that have made it difficult to transition back to civilian life. Some estimates state that as many as 20% of returning military veterans suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).The Pets for Vets program is dedicated to supporting veterans and providing a second chance for shelter pets by rescuing, training and pairing them with America’s veterans who could benefit from a companion animal. The Pets… 3 to 4 million dogs and cats are euthanized each year. These animals can make excellent companion animals but never have that chance. Our dedicated animal trainers will evaluate and rescue the shelter animals and provide additional training to ensure that they are able to assimilate into a home, which is quite different from a shelter environment. The Vets… Sadly, there are alarming statistics of suicide, family abuse and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder facing veterans returning to civilian life after military duty. This can cause a downward spiral of apathy, unemployment, broken relationships, addiction and depression. It is our belief that companion animals can be the life saving therapy or friend that many returning service men and women need.
Protect Our Defenders
http://www.protectourdefenders.com/
We honor, support, and give voice to the brave men and women in uniform who have been raped or sexually assaulted by fellow service members. We seek to fix the military training, investigation and adjudication systems related to sexual violence, systems that often re-victimize survivors by blaming them while failing to prosecute perpetrators.
Racing 4 Vets
http://www.racing4vets.org/
Our Cincinnati, Ohio chapter is run by Racing4Vets Regional Director Kerin Banfield. The Cincinnati chapter serves veterans primarily in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. The Cincinnati chapter is focused on kart racing and works with service-disabled veterans with traumatic brain injuries (TBI), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and physical injuries.
Partnership with Veterans Administration TBI and PTSD Rehabilitation Center at Fort Thomas, Kentucky
In January 2013, Racing4Vets launched a partnership with the VA to formally include indoor kart racing as a mandatory physical and cognitive development activity in the Cincinnati Veterans Administration PTSD/TBI rehabilitation program at Fort Thomas, KY. This is an intensive program open to men and women veterans from all U.S. military branches. Approximately 20-30 veterans from the VA program attend monthly indoor kart driving events run by Racing4Vets at Full Throttle Indoor Karting in Springdale, OH. Each program provides assessment and treatment of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and/or traumatic brain injury using a curriculum of Cognitive Processing Therapy, group and individual sessions and physical activities. Clinical studies conducted by the Veterans Administration and National Institute of Health indicate significant improvement in cognitive abilities and reduction of symptoms from participation in the PTSD/TBI program. For more information on the success of the program, see this NIH study overview and VA study (PDF file).
Rebuild Hope
http://rebuildhope.org/
What We Do
Examples
- Preventing eviction
- Finding shelter
- Putting food on the table
- Repairing primary vehicles
- Keeping lights on
- Supplying heating
- Finding legal services
- Finding family mental health services
- Household budgeting
- Financial counseling
Rebuild Hope is a volunteer-driven, national nonprofit with big aspirations - engaging thousands of Americans in a collective effort to help disabled Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their families overcome government-created financial hardships, improve the financial management of their households, and escape unexpected poverty as they transition to civilian life.
Rebuild Hope assistance starts with helping veterans create a conservative 12-month budget for their household. This enables families to better understand their existing spending patterns, make realistic assumptions about future income and expenses, and identify ways to more effectively manage their money. An assigned Rebuild Hope case manager counsels them, and common actions include eliminating non-essential expenses, selling non-essential assets, relocating to lower cost areas and housing, applying for caregiver and low income housing financial support, and rescheduling or reducing debt obligations.
Rebuild Hope also…
- Provides emergency grants and no-interest loans to pay for essential needs.
- Helps veterans identify additional sources of financial assistance.
- Helps veterans identify sources of other essential services including housing, legal assistance, psychological counseling, home repairs, retail discounts and debt management counseling.
- Recognizes every veteran’s personal sacrifices with personal online profiles.
Restoring Hope Community Service, Inc.
http://www.restoringhopecommunityservices.org/
We are a Faith-Based organization established in 2006. Our vision is to create and establish housing for homeless veterans, pregnant teenagers, run-away teenagers; in addition to a women and children shelter for abused and domestic violence victims.
The first phase of our vision is to build a community living facility for veterans that are homeless up to 24 months. Thus, the new facility will house up to six men at a time. We are committed to providing room and board to assist in helping them establish a new beginning with support services and programs provided by Loma Linda Veterans Administration.
Saddles for Soldiers
http://saddlesforsoldiers.org/
Saddles For Soldiers is located at Shadow Hills Equestrian Center, an 11 acre facility in the northeast corner of the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles County. Shadow Hills Riding Club’ mission is to implement an expansive therapeutic equine program using horses to facilitate healing, learning and growth.
The vision of SHRC is dedicated to providing exceptional equine programs to facilitate growth and healing through self-actualization and awareness resulting in healthier lives for individuals and their communities. As a mission, SHRC transforms lives by unbridled possibilities through the healing art of the equine.
Goals for SFS for Veterans:
- To reduce the suicide rate in veterans
- To provide a safe place to relax
- To learn new skills
- To assist in reintegration
- To provide life skills
- To provide referral
- To establish a bond with an animal
- To provide short and long term care in an holistic approach
- To provide a free service for veterans and their families
San Diego Grantmakers
http://www.sdgrantmakers.org/AboutUs/WhoWeAreWhatWeDo/MilitaryFamilySupportWorkingGroup.aspx
The Mission of San Diego Grantmakers is to connect, educate, develop and inspire organized philanthropy to be more effective individually and collectively.
What We Do
- Connect grantmakers to each other
- Connect grantmakers to knowledge and best practices
- Facilitate collaboration among funders and across sectors
- Ensure that organized philanthropy and members’ work are appropriately visible with key leaders
- Leverage local philanthropy to help bring more resources to our region
In early 2011, a group of SDG members began meeting to explore how they might collectively support local active military personnel, veterans and their families. In 2012, the group formalized as the Military Family Support Working Group (MFSWG) and focused their efforts on helping with the difficult transition from active duty to civilian status.
The Military Transition Support Project (MTSP) has been an unprecedented year-long collaboration among San Diego's military, government agencies, elected officials, nonprofits, businesses, and philanthropic institutions to develop a comprehensive plan to better coordinate community resources for veterans and to connect those resources to service members as early in the transition process as possible.
Central to the MTSP Community Plan are a web-based portal affiliated with 2-1-1 San Diego that would aggregate employment, education and vetted social service information, and highly trained, veteran "navigators" to provide personal assistance to those needing additional support.
San Diego Military Family Collaborative
http://sdmilitaryfamily.org/
The San Diego Military Family Collaborative’s mission provides an inclusive forum to maximize the collective impact of community resources to enhance military family life.
More than anywhere else in the nation, active duty military, returning veterans and their families call San Diego home.
From six organizations in 2010, the SDMFC grew by word of mouth and today comprises more than 400 representatives from over 100 unique public, private, faith-based, military, and governmental organizations. Social Advocates for Youth, San Diego provides fiscal oversight and staffing support.
Together as a community, in partnership with active duty, reservists, veterans, and their families, San Diego will give military men and women the just response deserving of their sacrifice and service.
San Diego Military Outreach Ministries
http://sandiegomom.org/
SDMOM is an incorporated charity supported by churches, civic organizations, businesses, military members and private donors working with other nonprofit organizations. With a small paid staff of military wives and many volunteers, SDMOM provides helping services to thousands of enlisted families each year. All services are provided free of charge. Services include nearly daily distribution of food, furniture and household goods, children’s supplies and hosting holiday events, baby showers and family events.
SDMOM serves the Active Duty junior enlisted military family (mostly ranks E-5 and below), typically headed by a 19-23 year old, with young children, away from home, and trying to survive in our expensive economy on a low salary while struggling with high debt and the family stresses of deployment.
Semper Fi Fund
https://semperfifund.org/
The Semper Fi Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and its program America's Fund, are set up to provide immediate financial assistance and lifetime support for injured and critically ill members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families. We direct urgently needed resources to post 9/11 service members, who meet our criteria for assistance, from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Reserves. Since establishing the Semper Fi Fund in 2004, we've issued more than 70,500 grants, totaling close to $89 million in assistance to over 11,500 of our heroes and their families.
How we help:
Financial, emotional, and tiered support for our injured/ill service members and their families through the following programs: Family Support, Adaptive Housing, Adaptive Transportation, Specialized Equipment, Education and Career Transitioning, Rehabilitative Sports programs, and more.
Shout for Women Veterans
http://www.swords-to-plowshares.org/shout/
SHOUT! was inspired by the fact that art encourages expression and healing. This event helps us build a network of women veterans and supporters and to provide resources for women in need – many who have overcome issues like homelessness and post-traumatic stress.
The Soldiers Project
http://www.thesoldiersproject.org/
Our licensed mental health professionals offer free psychotherapy to any military service member/veteran who has served Post 9/11. We also offer free therapy to their loved ones – boyfriends, girlfriends, spouses, children, parents and grandparents. There is no red tape, there are no fees, and there is no arbitrary limit on the number of sessions provided. We see individuals, couples, children, and families. We configure our therapy to meet the client’s needs. Because we are in private practice, we have the flexibility to see people prior to, during and/or following return from deployment and to keep in touch via phone or the internet if needed.
Strumming for Vets
http://www.strummingforvets.org/
Strumming for Vets is an organization that has come up with a way to help restore the feeling of joy and self-worth that can be lost after extreme trauma. With music therapy and donated guitars and teachers donating their time, these vets are given a new type of therapy that works!
Support The Enlisted Project
http://www.stepsocal.org/
Provide emergency financial and transition assistance grants to active duty and recently discharged enlisted military and their families. Support The Enlisted Project (STEP) provides emergency assistance from our headquarters in San Diego to eligible active duty service members, those whom have been honorably discharged for 12 months or less, and their families residing in the Southern California counties of San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Imperial.
STEP also offers a range of complimentary family support programs that boost morale and provide military families with unique opportunities to bond and receive valuable products and services.
Swords to Plowshares
http://www.swords-to-plowshares.org/
At Swords to Plowshares, veterans work one-on-one with job counselors to address their individual needs, overcome obstacles to employment, and determine a long-term career plan. We have offices in San Francisco and Oakland so that we may reach as many Bay Area veterans as possible.
Swords to Plowshares’ legal team works hard to get veterans the services they earned, and has been providing free legal services to veterans for decades. Swords to Plowshares only provides legal services to low income and homeless veterans and their families who reside in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Swords has operated successful supportive housing programs for more than two decades. Our transitional and permanent residential programs, combined with a continuum of care, have provided thousands of homeless veterans with the stability and support they need to rebuild their lives.
Our Health and Social Services department, known as the Frontline Drop-in Center, provides critical services to homeless and at-risk veterans. We work closely with partner organizations in the community and the Department of Veterans Affairs to help homeless, low-income and at-risk veterans find pathways to recovery.
Swords to Plowshares understands that women veterans often struggle to access appropriate resources and care. Through the Women Veterans Project, we are continually working to improve our programs to meet the needs of the women who have served.
Our Policy Department, known as the Institute for Veteran Policy (IVP),works to ensure that Iraq and Afghanistan-era veterans transitioning from combat to community, and all veterans, have the services and support they need. We work hard to ensure that local, state and national programs for veterans and their families are appropriate, accessible and adapt to the community’s changing needs.
The mission of the Combat to Community cultural competency training is to improve the ability of providers, educators and program managers to work with returning veterans with post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury and other mental health disorders.
Team Rubicon
http://teamrubiconusa.org/
Team Rubicon unites the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders to rapidly deploy emergency response teams.
United States Veterans Initiative
http://www.usvetsinc.org/
U.S.VETS is a private non-profit organization providing housing, employment and counseling services to our nation’s veterans, the men and women from all branches of the armed forces who have served their country from World War II to the current conflict in Afghanistan.
At each of our eleven locations around the country, U.S.VETS personnel go into the local community to find homeless veterans and guide them to crucial services that might help alleviate the challenges they face as a result of their homelessness.
The range of services includes housing and employment assistance, as well as access to veterans benefits and treatment for mental and physical health problems and substance abuse.
United Through Reading
http://www.unitedthroughreading.org/
Our Military Program helps ease the stress of separation for military families by having deployed parents read children’s books aloud via DVD for their child to watch at home. This powerful program is available to all deploying military units and at select USO locations. It provides parents a chance to make powerful and lasting connections with their children and parent from afar.
Upward Bound House
http://www.upwardboundhouse.org/
The mission of Upward Bound House is to eliminate homelessness among families with children by providing housing, supportive services and advocacy.
Veterans Association of North County
http://www.vancnorthcounty.org/
Veterans Association of North County (VANC), located in Oceanside, California, is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization created by a group of dedicated veterans to empower other veterans, members of the military, and their families by providing needed support and resources. We are an umbrella association that represents more than 30 veteran organizations spanning all branches of military service (including reserve personnel) and encompassing all generations, from active duty through retirees. Our mission is to serve as a one-stop resource center for all veterans and military, centralizing the services of diverse agencies to assist them with jobs, education, finances, health and wellness, and family issues.
Veterans First
http://www.veteransfirstoc.org/
For over forty years, our goal at Veterans First has been to honor every brave man and woman who has served this country by helping restore dignity to those whose sacrifices defending the freedoms we cherish have left them in need. Every person who raises their hand and takes a pledge to defend our country is a hero. Until there are no American heroes sleeping on the streets, in cars or in alleyways, we will be there for them just as they were there for all of us.
Veterans First is the only 501c(3) agency in Orange County that works to provide services exclusively to our region’s homeless and at-risk veterans. Our organization provides a multitude of services including housing, meals, case management, life skills, mental health counseling, benefit counseling, transportation, as well as job training and employment placement assistance.
Veterans Legal Clinic-University of San Diego
http://www.sandiego.edu/veteransclinic/
The Veterans Legal Clinic is dedicated to protecting and serving those veterans who have made great sacrifices to protect and serve the United States. When veterans finds themselves in a dispute with a for-profit education company over the use of GI Bill funds or related education loans, the Veterans Legal Clinic can help by providing free legal advice, identifying potential claims and even representing veterans in litigation, arbitration and other forms of dispute resolution with for-profit education companies.
Veterans Plus, Inc.
http://vpiusa.org/
Veterans Plus, Inc. is a 501(c)3 organization registered with the State of California and is based in San Leandro, CA. The organization serves veterans and their qualified dependents throughout Northern California.
Veterans Plus, Inc. (VPI) is a nonprofit organization offering a wide range of services for returning veterans and their families. Our goal is to provide continuous and easily accessible services for veterans and their qualified dependents. These services include housing assistance to prevent and counteract homelessness, primary and mental health care, VA benefits counseling, career development and placement, senior care and more. We at VPI work in partnership with the US Veterans Administration, local social services agencies and other qualifying organizations to help returning and wounded warriors find their place at home and in the community.
Veterans Village of San Diego
http://www.vvsd.net/
With five locations throughout San Diego County, VVSD is the only program of its kind in the United States.
VVSD provides a Continuum of Care with a full range of comprehensive and innovative services for military veterans for:
- Prevention
- Intervention
- Treatment
- Aftercare
- Substance Abuse Recovery
- Mental Health Counseling
- Job Training and Job Search Assistance
- Housing
- Food
- Clothing
- Legal Services
Veterans Writing Group
http://www.veteranswritinggroup.org/
The Veterans Writing Group of San Diego County is passionate about writing and improving the process needed to tell our stories. We are Military Veterans learning to write our story in our own words may it be fiction or not. Please email us a message, comment or recommendations that will assist us in helping others write their story.
The VWG-SD is supported by the Writers Guild Foundation (WGF) and mentored by various local professional writers-who help veterans improve their writing skills, develop a creative outlet, share their experience, and explore the possibilities of a career in writing!
The Vet Hunters Project
http://www.vethunters.org/
The Vet Hunters Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness for all military veterans/families and individual American we meet.
Victory Village, Inc.
http://www.victoryvillageamador.org/
“Our duty is to serve those who have served our great nation. We facilitate Veterans Services for our service members, veterans, and families by streamlining access to Veterans Housing, Education, Life Skills and Physical Wellness services. In support of our Military and Families, we are bridging the gap from military service to civilian life.”