Volunteers Make the Difference
At Hero’s Bridge, we know that aging veterans are at a higher risk for experiencing various diseases and disorders due to their service.
Senior veterans are stoic, proud individuals who are unfamiliar with reaching out for assistance, so our mission is to serve them. We recognize the needs of those we serve are very different compared to those of their younger counterparts, and this is precisely why we specialize in providing services to this particular demographic.
Many of the individuals we serve are predisposed to poor social outcomes such as loneliness, poor nutrition, and lack of proper assistance with their personal and medical care; all due to their time spent in the military.
Hero’s Bridge offers four distinct programs to assist with the most frequently found needs in this veteran population. We strive to improve outcomes in both elderly and younger veterans, simply by connecting younger veterans with older ones. This intergenerational approach yields an improved and more supportive existence for the volunteers and heroes we support. In essence, we serve these veterans by creating a “bridge” to an improved quality of life.
Hero’s Bridge nearly doubled its number of volunteer hours from 1,029 in 2021 to 2,101 in 2022.
We Love Our Volunteers!
2021 Volunteer Hours
2022 Volunteer Hours
Battle Buddy Program/ Hero’s Helpers
Bridging younger and older veterans in a special model of care that decreases social isolation and increases advocacy. In 2022, the Battle Buddy program resulted on average 540 annual visits by staff and volunteers.
HomeFront
Bridging our older heroes to healthy and safe housing conditions. In 2022, we performed 47 Home Front interventions: visits for yard clean-up, 5 critical home repairs, 5 miscellaneous repairs, and 4 electrical repairs.
Honor Guard
Bridging our veterans to better mental health by facilitating a healthy processing of their time in service. Honor Guard interventions in 2022: 19 stories and/or local media stories, 11 socials held, 4 shadowboxes made with lost medals and awards replaced, 2 Guardians of Freedom portraits added to the collection, 3 community exhibits, and 3 honor ceremonies.
Paw Patrol
Bridging veterans and animals to significantly reduce pain, anxiety, depression, and a variety of other issues. In 2022, we connected animals and heroes: 69 Paw Patrol visits, 5 pet supply donations, and 7 birdhouses maintained.