“Mental health” is a phrase used often in the medical setting. We have groups dedicated to helping youth maintain good mental health, we see groups advocate for the mental health of recovering addicts. And there are scores of groups dedicated to the...
I hardly know where to begin this newsletter note. Our team has had a whirlwind few weeks. While we continue to serve our aging veterans, we released our 2022 Impact Report, traveled to Richmond for meetings regarding state funding, attended fundraisers on our behalf,...
We begin the first quarter of this year overwhelmed by the generosity of our community and the willingness of others to step forward and donate their time to our mission. From winery and BINGO fundraisers to our sold-out 5K to honor our Vietnam Veterans, it’s...
Since its onset, Hero’s Bridge has served the needs of aging veterans, identified as those who have served in our armed forces and are over the age of 65. Until this year, we have seen veterans primarily from World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War....
While the New Year has everyone looking forward, I would be remiss in not looking backward for just a moment. Let me explain… 2023 marks Hero’s Bridge’s seventh year serving veterans ages 65 and older. During that time, we have had tremendous growth....
It’s been a busy month celebrating the holidays with our Veterans. My family chose to do a ‘no gift’ Christmas this year. As a mother, I had an ulterior motive. I didn’t want the children to spend their hard-earned money on me during this...
The holiday spirit is strong at Hero’s Bridge! As we do each month, we spent our time focusing on aging veterans in our region. However, in addition to improving their quality of life through everyday needs, this month we also spent a fair amount of time...
I am excited to share that I have completed the George W. Bush Institute Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program. When former President Bush was designing the Institute, he had to decide what he wanted to focus on in his post-presidency era. He wanted to make sure that he...
A little levity is a welcome change for our office and team members. Our veterans’ needs come in all shapes and sizes and for some, the changes we bring to their lives make a huge difference. Whether it’s much-needed medicine we help them get with a drive...
Summer is winding down in our region and our youth volunteers are returning to their classrooms. We are fortunate to have 16 youth among our volunteers. We hope their interactions with our veterans have made an impression on them. The name Hero’s Bridge is...
Summer has proven itself to be a challenging time for our veterans, especially so this year. Finances are tenuous and making ends meet for older people has become harder than ever. Combine unprecedented storms, power outages, and sustained high temperatures with...
This has been an exciting month for Hero’s Bridge! While my team held down the fort, I attended the first week of the Bush Institute leadership program. This program is giving me an opportunity to learn from peers and national experts how to best grow the...
While we honor and help aging veterans everyday, there is always an echo of their younger selves that we can hear if we listen closely. It is the strong, vibrant young man or woman who left their school, their family, their friends to take up arms and travel to exotic...
This was such an exciting month for us! We welcomed eighteen new veterans to our services which is a record number for us. One of our combat Vietnam veterans was also gifted a new roof by a local construction company. This is significant to us for several reasons....
As an organization that serves aging veterans, many of the people we help are men who served in WWII, the Korean War, and/or the Vietnam War. Many, but not all. Over the years, we have featured female veterans who have had groundbreaking careers during their service....
The holiday season is challenging. While in our personal lives, we are fortunate to have family and friends who love us and surround us to celebrate the holidays, our work with Hero’s Bridge reveals a much lonelier side of the season. Our aging veterans returned...
Every day the Hero’s Bridge team demonstrates our thanks and gratitude for our veterans. We do this with many simple acts of kindness: a birthday card, a coloring page, assistance with groceries, and more. These simple acts are to help make days easier, less lonely,...
Every day is Veterans Day at Hero’s Bridge, however we are always grateful at this time of year when the nation takes time to recognize and honor all Veterans who have so honorably served. We will be spending special one-on-one time with many of our veterans...
We have lost 7 of the veterans we serve since June. It is always difficult to learn that a veteran, who we cannot reach during our welfare checks, has passed away. But it also serves to remind us that right up until the very end of their lives, we offer help. This is...
At Hero’s Bridge, the majority of our requests for assistance are to help Vietnam Veterans. That war had special circumstances that left more damage in its wake than previous conflicts. A lengthy war spanning several presidents and cabinets. Politicians making...
