PenFed Foundation provides mental health support for members of military community with $50,000 grant to Vets4Warriors
Partnership Creates a Stronger Mental Health Network for Veterans and Families Across the Country
TYSONS, VA (July 7, 2022) — The PenFed Foundation, a national 501(c)3 founded by PenFed Credit Union, furthered its commitment to military heroes with a $50,000 grant to support Vets4Warriors, the nation’s leading 24/7 military peer support program staffed by veterans. Vets4Warriors provides comprehensive support for service members and their families seeking assistance dealing with issues ranging from suicidal thoughts, stress reactions, and post-traumatic stress disorder to marital and financial matters, service members transitioning into and out of the military and more.
“The PenFed Foundation is proud to partner with Vets4Warriors to support their critical mission of running a 24/7 confidential peer support network for struggling veterans, active-duty service members, National Guard, reservists, their families and caregivers as they navigate the challenges of daily life,” said PenFed Credit Union EVP and President of PenFed Foundation Shashi Vohra. “We stand by service members and their families and encourage those who need help to seek it.”
Vets4Warriors hires veterans and trains them to help guide members of the military community who are struggling in the right direction by connecting them with resources or just being a place to lend an open ear. Vets4Warriors’ goal is to help veterans in crisis before they become suicidal, and to intervene before challenges become crises. To date, Vets4Warriors has made more than 650,000 connections with individuals via phone, chat, and email to provide support.
“It is a true honor to partner with the PenFed Foundation to support our nation’s military, veterans, family members and caregivers together,” said retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Mark Graham and Executive Director of Vets4Warriors. “We are extremely excited about this relationship and the impact this grant will have as we operate 24/7 to ensure no one is ever alone and that a trained veteran is ready to answer their call whenever they need support. Thank you, PenFed, for your trust and confidence in the work our team does around-the-clock. This is only the beginning, as together we will work hard to reach more of our nation’s finest in their time of need.”
Members of the military community who are interested in peer support are encouraged to visit Vets4Warriors’ contact page here.
Retired U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. and PenFed Foundation Director of Outreach David Clark meets with retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Mark Graham. Maj. Gen. Graham lost his two sons, Jeffrey and Kevin, less than a year apart from one another. Their deaths came unexpectedly and rocked the course of his life forever. For him, happiness will never be the same. And yet, he still finds joy in his life through helping veterans triumph in their darkest moments.
About PenFed Foundation
Founded in 2001, The PenFed Foundation is a national nonprofit organization that supports veterans in their transition from service to success. Affiliated with PenFed Credit Union, the Foundation has provided more than $50 million in financial support to veterans, active-duty service members and military families. The credit union funds the Foundation's personnel and most operational costs, allowing 99% of incoming donations to go directly to our programs. To learn more, please visit www.penfedfoundation.org.
About Vets4Warriors
Vets4Warriors launched in December 2011. For 10 years Vets4Warriors is growing, expanding, and doing all that they can to ensure that every member of the military community knows that they are never alone. So far, they have made more than 650,000 connections with individuals via phone, chat, and email to provide support before challenges turn into crises. They have earned recognition as the nation’s leading 24/7 military peer support program staffed by veterans.
Vets4Warriors’peer-to-peer support network has been connecting people, information, ideas and resources to generate powerful solutions for members of the military and veteran communities for more than five years. Vets4Warriors, housed at the Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care National Call Center, is a one-of-a-kind, 24/7 peer support network. They operate completely independent of the VA and the U.S. military; this independence allows callers to feel confident that everything they share with them will always remain 100% confidential.
