Stronger Together: Introducing WWP's Community Partners Supporting Family Resiliency and Caregivers
Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) proudly provides free programs and services to meet the needs of the nation’s post-9/11 wounded warriors and their families. However, no single organization can handle this population's various needs and challenges.
WWP invests in best-in-class organizations to augment its programs and services and build a collaborative support network. This work is vital to building robust and resilient veteran families and communities.
Learn more about WWP’s community partnerships.
WWP is shining a light on our community partners that support warriors in building family resiliency and empowering caregiving. Data collected from WWP’s 2021 Annual Warrior Survey shows this is a pressing and comprehensive need.
- 25% of warriors need aid and assistance from another person due to service-connected injuries or health problems.
- 75% of the time, a warrior’s primary caregiver is their spouse.
- 8% of warriors indicated they are permanently disabled or housebound due to service-connected injuries or health problems.
- Over 60% of those housebound warriors also have children, and 3.5% of warriors who require aid often have children who act as caregivers.
WWP is co-chairing the Hidden Helpers Coalition alongside the Elizabeth Dole Foundation to address these needs. The Coalition is taking action to fill gaps in support and services for military caregivers, kids, and youth with the help of 75-plus organizations. In November 2021, WWP announced a $1.5 million investment to support programming and initiatives through the Coalition.
WWP is proud to partner with the following veterans service organizations to support military families and caregivers:
American Red Cross – The American Red Cross helps military members, veterans, and their families prepare for, cope with, and respond to military service challenges. The Red Cross has a presence on all military installations in the U.S. and on 37 overseas installations, ensuring that military families and service members receive the critical support they need. Each year, the Red Cross provides more than 511,000 services to service members, veterans, and their families by leveraging a network of volunteers around the world. The Red Cross Military and Veteran Caregiver Network engages peers to exchange experiences, empathy, education, and encouragement.
Armed Services YMCA – The Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) has strengthened military families since 1861 through its 12 branches and 24 affiliate partners, serving 89 military installations and facilities nationwide. Its program and services across three areas – Youth Development, Healthy Living, and Social Responsibility – are designed to complement those provided by the Armed Forces and tailored to the specific needs of the military community at the local level. Programs like Operation Hero, a free after-school program, help students cope with and adjust to the unique challenges of military life, enabling them to thrive whenever and wherever the military sends them.
Cohen Veterans Network – Cohen Veterans Network (CVN) is a 501(c)(3) national not-for-profit philanthropic organization for post-9/11 veterans, active-duty service members, and their families. CVN focuses on improving mental health outcomes, operating a network of outpatient mental health clinics in high-need communities, in which trained clinicians deliver holistic evidence-based care to treat mental health conditions. It was established in 2016 by philanthropist Steven A. Cohen with a commitment of $275 million to build the network.
Comfort Crew for Military Kids – Comfort Crew for Military Kids’ mission is to deliver proven strategies to prepare every military child for the unique challenges they face so they positively impact themselves, their families, and our country. Comfort kits designed for school-age children help kids to thrive in the face of military-associated challenges like separations due to deployments, reconnecting after separation, dealing with injuries, or experiencing grief.
Elizabeth Dole Foundation – Elizabeth Dole Foundation’s mission is to strengthen and empower America’s military caregivers and their families by raising public awareness, driving research, championing policy, and leading collaborations that significantly impact their lives.
Kids Rank – Kids Rank provides stability and support for military-connected children by nurturing social and emotional growth through connection, leadership, and community service. Through membership opportunities, Kids Rank engages military-connected children and youth in hands-on, skill-building projects and volunteer opportunities designed to encourage resilience through the core pillars of connect, lead, and serve.
Military Child Education Coalition – The Military Child Education Coalition’s (MCEC) mission is to ensure inclusive, quality educational opportunities for all military-connected children affected by mobility, transition, deployments, and family separation. MCEC advocates, educates, and collaborates to reduce barriers to success for military-connected students, empowering them to become college, work, and life-ready.
Military Family Advisory Network – The Military Family Advisory Network envisions a world where all military-connected families are empowered to thrive. Their mission is to understand and amplify the needs of military-connected families and inspire data-informed change.
MFAN's goal is clear: identify the evolving needs of military families through research and lived experiences and drive collaborative responses.
National Military Family Association – The National Military Family Association (NMFA) is dedicated to serving the families who stand beside the uniform. NMFA provides support to meet the needs of America’s military families through scholarships for military spouses, summer camps for military kids, and retreats for families reconnecting after deployment and families of the wounded, ill, or injured. In addition, NMFA is a voice for military families on Capitol Hill, always addressing the current and immediate problems facing military families through every aspect of military life.
Our Military Kids – Our Military Kids’ (OMK) mission is to empower military kids with sports, arts, and other activities while their parents are deployed or recovering from combat-related injuries sustained in combat. OMK’s vision is:
- Use extracurricular activities to reduce behavioral and emotional problems in the children of combat-injured service members.
- Continue to increase the number of grant awards to children of combat-injured veterans.
- Raise public awareness of the unique challenges children of the combat-injured face by connecting them with activities and resources that help reintegrate the military family back into the community.
PsychArmor – PsychArmor offers educational resources for individuals, companies, and organizations that want to more effectively engage with and better support military service members, veterans, and their families and caregivers. PsychArmor believes that educating Americans about the unique strengths and needs of the military-connected community can create powerful connections, strengthen communities, and help our nation’s heroes better access and utilize the resources that allow them to thrive.
Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers – Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter founded the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers (RCI) in 1987 to promote the health, strength, and resilience of caregivers throughout the United States. RCI fulfills its promise to champion the family caregiver by building cross-sector partnerships, developing, and providing evidence-based programs, and advocating for public policy. RCI designed Operation Family Caregiver (OFC) and Operation Caregiver Support (OCS) exclusively for military caregivers. These programs are free and virtual and available in both English and Spanish.
Since 2012, WWP has invested more than $359 million in 218 organizations that assist wounded veterans and families at the local and national levels, connecting them with the resources they need to thrive in civilian life.
Contact: Krissty Andaur — PR Specialist, kandaur@woundedwarriorproject.org, 904.760.6957
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.