June | 2019 | Dr. Erol Onel's Blog

Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) has been busy recently advancing its various initiatives in support of military veterans and their families. Across the country, local WWP events and activities have provided opportunities for members to socialize and learn more about the many ways that they can benefit from veterans’ programs and services.

WWP has also been working nationally to promote its own activities while supporting those of other organizations. Recently, Wounded Warrior announced its latest investments and partnerships with nearly two dozen veteran and military service groups. These organizations will receive a combined $6.9 million from WWP, which has provided over $88 million to 165 organizations over the last decade. Keep reading for a closer look at a few of WWP’s 2019 community partners.

Veterans of Foreign Wars

With a history dating back to 1899, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) has been supporting veterans, service members, and their families for well over a century. Over the years, the group has played a major role in helping to establish many of the programs that are available to retired and active-duty military personnel.

Today, VFW’s various programs help veterans of every generation to file VA claims and access mental-wellness support services. The organization also offers scholarships for post-secondary studies and financial grants for military families in need. In recent years, VFW has distributed nearly $20 million in scholarships and other financial assistance.

Warrior Reunion Foundation

A group recently founded by two Marine combat veterans, the Warrior Reunion Foundation has been operating since 2017. As its name suggests, the focus of the organization is on reuniting veterans and active military members who served with one another in combat. Since its inception, the group has organized several military reunions and reunited more than 300 combat veterans.

The Warrior Reunion Foundation’s programs help military members to reconnect and build support networks comprised of individuals with similar shared experiences. With the support of individual donors and groups such as WWP, the Warrior Reunion Foundation is able to continue to expand its work.

Homes for Our Troops

For the last 15 years, Homes for Our Troops has been building and donating specially adapted custom homes for post-9/11 veterans who have been severely injured in combat. The organization also continues to support the veterans that it serves after their homes are completed by providing pro bono financial planning assistance, home ownership education, and warranty coverage. Additionally, the group works with other nonprofits, as well as corporations and government entities, to ensure that each veteran has access to the assistance that they need.

Since its founding in 2004, Homes for Our Troops has built more than 270 specially adapted homes across the country. The group’s work has earned it recognition as a top-rated military charity with Charity Navigator, Charity Watch, and GuideStar. Currently, Homes for Our Troops is overseeing home-building projects in several states.

Hiring Our Heroes

Hiring Our Heroes is a US Chamber of Commerce Foundation initiative that launched in 2011. The initiative leverages the support of local chambers of commerce, as well as various strategic partners, to ensure that veterans, active service members, and military spouses have access to meaningful employment opportunities in their communities.

A regular participant in job fairs and other events nationwide, Hiring Our Heroes offers a free suite of digital tools. These tools include online resume builders and resources to help veterans transition from military to civilian careers. Over the years, the Hiring Our Heroes initiative has helped hundreds of thousands of veterans and military spouses to obtain employment.

Elizabeth Dole Foundation

The United States is home to more than 5.5 million military caregivers, including spouses, parents, children, and friends who are committed to supporting veterans with physical and/or behavioral health issues. To ensure that these men and women have access to their own support services, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation promotes public policy, advances research, and leads collaborative efforts to recognize the work of military caregivers and promote their well-being.

Some of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation’s current programs and activities include the Campaign for Inclusive Care, which seeks to improve communication and collaboration between veterans’ health care teams and their caregivers. Wounded Warrior Project is a coalition partner supporting these efforts. WWP is also helping to fund research by the Elizabeth Dole Foundation to examine the needs of children of military caregivers.

WWP’s Other 2019 Partners

In addition to these five organizations, WWP is working with several other groups on single or multi-year partnerships throughout 2019. They include the following: Center for a New American Security; Vets’ Community Connections; America’s Warrior Partnership; Team Red, White and Blue; HillVets; and the National Military Family Association.

WWP’s work with these groups will help to raise awareness about the issues that the nation’s veterans face and ensure that they have access to programs, tools, and other resources to support their physical and behavioral health and overall well-being.

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In addition to advancing research and promoting effective cardiovascular treatments and care, the American Heart Association (AHA) serves as a public resource for people worldwide looking to improve their overall health and well-being. As part of these efforts, the organization offers a variety of resources and information on its website. The group also works closely with several companies on initiatives aimed at public health. Here’s a closer look at the AHA’s advice and work in the area of healthy living:

Championing the Healthy for Good Movement

The driving force behind the AHA’s healthy living activities is its Healthy for Good movement, which invites people to improve their health and lives by making simple changes in their activity levels and eating habits. The movement is focused on providing science-based information coupled with “you-based motivation.” Whether they are focused on losing weight, eating healthier, getting active, or reducing stress, Healthy for Good provides tips, videos, and life hacks that people can use to advance their goals.

Move More

A main component of Healthy for Good is all about encouraging and helping people to become more active in their daily lives. Along with medical professionals and other health-focused groups, the AHA recommends that people start with a goal to get at least 150 minutes of exercise each week. To support individuals in reaching this goal, the organization offers information on fitness basics alongside a number of tips for getting active.

Those interested in learning more about fitness will find a variety of articles on the AHA website. The articles cover physical activity recommendations for adults and children as well as topics such as staying hydrated and keeping cool during warm-weather workouts. The website also features articles on exercises that target specific goals, such as building balance, endurance, and/or flexibility.

Part of staying active involves staying motivated, and the AHA offers plenty of advice and tips in this area as well. The motivation-focused articles from the AHA cover topics such as overcoming fitness plateaus, setting fitness goals, and celebrating fitness successes. The AHA also offers an infographic on how to get energy when one is too tired to work out.

Eat Smart

Of course, the AHA’s Healthy for Good movement also focuses on assisting people in their efforts to eat better. To help them make simple changes to their overall eating patterns, the organization provides a wide range of tips, articles, and infographics on nutrition basics. Individuals can turn to the AHA website for specific, science-backed information related to fats, carbohydrates, and sugar. Visitors to the website can also find articles on picking healthy proteins, reading food labels, healthy snacking, and many other related topics.

In addition to the informative tips and articles, the AHA provides a variety of free heart-healthy recipes. Visitors can search the website for recipes according to specific courses, ingredients, and lifestyles. The organization has even published a variety of cookbooks that are available in brick-and-mortar stores as well as the AHA online shop.

The AHA’s efforts to promote healthy eating also include helping people learn to shop for, prepare, cook, and properly store their food. At www.heart.org, those looking to improve their cooking skills can read cooking guides and watch instructional cooking videos. The videos feature easy-to-follow instructions on everything from how to properly use a knife to how to avoid freezer burn.

Be Well

Healthy for Good is not only about improving physical health but also one’s overall well-being. Along with eating the right foods and getting the appropriate amount of activity, living well includes managing stress, getting adequate sleep, fostering positive relationships, and quitting unhealthy habits.

The AHA’s resources for helping people to live well include stress-management tips and ideas for stress-busting activities. Other tips, articles, and infographics focus on promoting better sleep by changing certain tech-device habits and establishing productive bedtime and wake-up routines. In the area of general mental health, the AHA provides resources on mindful eating, meditation, depression, and the importance of gratitude.

As it puts people at a much higher risk for heart disease and stroke, smoking has been one of the AHA’s major areas of focus for several decades. Getting Healthy for Good requires that people give up smoking regardless of whether they’re addicted to traditional tobacco cigarettes or nicotine-filled e-cigarettes. In addition to providing a wealth of information about the harmful effects of tobacco and vape products, the AHA connects individuals with toll-free hotlines and other resources to help them quit and enjoy better health.

AHA’s Healthy Living Collaborations

The AHA has a long history of working with corporations and other nonprofit groups to advance its mission goals. As part of the Healthy for Good movement, the organization is currently leveraging support from the food, beverage, dining, and retail industries to make healthier drinks and food more accessible. The AHA also works with industry groups to implement its Heart-Check Food Certification Program, which makes it easier for consumers to identify heart-healthy food choices in grocery stores and restaurants.

Dr. Erol Onel's Blog