Hero’s Bridge, a nonprofit that serves military veterans 65 and older, has received a $75,000 grant to increase awareness of how COVID vaccinations would benefit older veterans in Prince William County.
Hero’s Bridge, founded eight years ago, provides rapid, hands-on help foraging veterans, including healthy food, home safety repairs, socialization to offset isolation and assistance with access to Veterans Administration programs.
Vaccine awareness is crucial, said Molly Brooks, Hero’s Bridge founder and CEO, in a news release.
More than 42,000 veterans live in Prince William County, and about half are over age 65. Elderly veterans have higher rates of chronic illnesses than other Americans, such as diabetes, heart disease and hypertension, she said.
“Veterans aged 65-plus are more likely to have preexisting medical conditions that put them at further risk when contracting COVID,” she said. “These risk factors increase for those living in rural communities, making increased vaccination accessibility crucial for the 42,000 veterans living in PW County.”
Vaccine-specific initiatives will become part of the daily work of Hero’s Bridge, she said.
The money comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, channeled through the Virginia Department of Health.
Hero’s Bridge is a nonprofit based in Warrenton focused on serving the hundreds of veterans in the region.