Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott Donates $15 Million to Support Wounded Veterans
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., March 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) announced today it has received a $15 million donation from MacKenzie Scott to support the needs of post-9/11 wounded, ill and injured veterans. The gift – the largest ever given to WWP by an individual – will help fund lifesaving mental health and brain health programs and services.
"We tackle the most critical needs of our nation's wounded heroes, with a significant focus of our work targeting mental health and wellness," said WWP CEO Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mike Linnington. "We are incredibly humbled and grateful to MacKenzie Scott for her generous contribution that will enable us to reach more veterans in need."
Wounded, ill and injured veterans face many challenges when leaving service. In WWP's recently released 2021 Annual Warrior Survey, the top three most common mental health issues reported by WWP warriors are: post-traumatic stress disorder (75%), anxiety (74%), and depression (72%). Nearly 1 in 4 WWP warriors (24.8%) reported suicidal thoughts in the last 12 months.
Access to quality care and support are concerns as well. The survey found about 1 in 5 WWP warriors have experienced difficulty or delays in receiving or continuing professional mental health care. Of these warriors, 2 in 3 say they feel embarrassed or ashamed about receiving such care, and nearly 3 in 5 don't know where to find it.
Ms. Scott's donation will bolster WWP's investments in mental health support for wounded veterans. Programs include a spectrum of services to help veterans heal from the visible and invisible wounds of war, including:
- WWP Talk, which provides non-clinical telephonic emotional support calls.
- Project Odyssey®, which offers group-based adventure-based learning to help warriors manage post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and other combat stress.
- Warrior Care Network®, which provides mental and brain health care for PTSD, TBI and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment in a two-to-three-week intensive outpatient treatment program.
Warriors who participate in these programs report improvements in their mental health and quality of life.
Read more to learn how WWP programs help veterans in need.
About Wounded Warrior Project
Since 2003, Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) has been meeting the growing needs of warriors, their families, and caregivers — helping them achieve their highest ambition. Learn more.
SOURCE Wounded Warrior Project
