Giving Tuesday
Giving Tuesday - a global generosity movement.
If you are ever looking to donate our volunteer, please continue in this post to read about some of the non profits that went above and beyond to improve my life.
As a veteran or an active-duty service member it can be very hard to accept help or admit that you may need some assistance with something. It’s also a very present human attribute. Accepting help is hard. This was a huge hurdle for me because of my stubborn attitude and fierce independence. It is very important to remember that people want to help. There are so many nonprofits that were started to help others and it’s as simple as reaching out when you need it. Sometimes you just have to swallow your pride. I am a living testament to this.
The Fisher House was a get-away for me while I was inpatient at the hospital but it was so much more than a tranquil place to go. It was a home for my family and a small light in a very dark time. The VA campus in West Roxbury was pretty big and accommodating but you can only spend so much time in a hospital before you go crazy. I had to live in the hospital room for obvious reasons but because of the Fisher House, my family didn’t have to suffer the same fate. The building was about one hundred yards from the hospital entrance and it was beautiful. Saying that they pay for and set up lodging for veteran’s families would be such an understatement. Ultimately that is what their main purpose is but they cover food, coffee, and other beverages and provide beautiful hotel-like rooms with a community kitchen, living room, laundry room, dining room, library den and a garden/outdoor patio area. They provided my family with a room for a year and a half. Can you imagine how much money my family would have spent paying for a hotel room local to the hospital for a year and a half? On top of that, if I was having a bad day I would be able to go for a walk with my family just go sit in the garden or stay in the room and watch TV with them. It was almost enough to make me forget that I was living at a hospital. What this organization did for me and my family is unreal and I will never be able to thank them enough. They also have 86 campuses across the country and if they can’t fit a veterans family into their buildings, they pay for lodging at other hotels in the area. Their mission is incredible and what they do for the veteran community is so profound.
I will never forget my first experiences with Semper Fi fund. I rolled back to my room with Kass after a random gym session for therapy and found a big box sitting on my hospital bed. I hadn't known understood that my dad had applied for Semper Fi Fund assistance for me but they haven’t left my side since my injury. I opened up the box and we pulled out a couple of thermoses, a few sweatshirts and about 10 T-shirts. I was super excited to start wearing the new merch but then I realize that at the bottom of the box was an iPad Pro and the check for $1000. They include a letter which basically said “welcome to the family” and gave me contact info for my assigned case manager. I would get monthly check in emails and text messages asking if I would needed anything for assistance and the answer was usually no. It was just great to know that if I did need something that I would easily be able to reach out because they stayed in contact with me throughout my whole stay. When Kass and I moved home, within a week another box was delivered to the house. It had more shirts and sweatshirts, but it also had a brand new Roomba iRobot vacuum. Over the years they have sent a few different care packages (randomly) that included heated blankets, a cell therapy tool to assist with blood flow and a few sleep kits. They also do an annual caregiver retreat for a weekend away for any caregivers or family. As my therapy progressed I started to look into different ways to exercise and I came across an arm cycle. The bike itself with all the assistive technology cost roughly around $14,000. I thought it may be a longshot but I’d reach out to Semper Fi Fund and see if they could help in anyway. Without even thinking they told me yes and that they would pay for the whole bike. Ultimately I ended up using them for a different grant towards another bike that was much cheaper but the fact that they were willing to do this for me really speaks volumes about their organization and their mission. They are extremely committed to the veterans and once you’re in, you’re with them for life.
Building Dreams for Marines is another organization that lives by this creed. they are local to New Hampshire but what they did for me and my family is something I will never be able to repay. They do a number of projects each year and I was their main project a few years ago. The grant and manpower that they provided made it possible for me to get a brand new accessible house built for free. I have no mortgage or payments to worry about. I truthfully have no financial worries because of their generosity. They provided a huge grant which helped a local builder finalize the production of my accessible home. They can also do the same for smaller projects like widening doorways, adding ramps and updating bathrooms and showers. Usually they solely help Marines, but they went out of their way to change their bylaws so they would be able to help me, an army veteran. currently they can help veterans from any branch of service and they did that so they would be able to help me and more people in my situation. That is the kind of organization that they are. They help to host an annual gala in the winter and it is always such a humbling experience to meet the donors that make such work possible. I went last year and gave a speech about how they helped me and show some of the donors where their contributions are going. I was able to go again last night as a guest and not a speaker and it truly brought me back to feeling like family with this organization. What they’re doing has impacted so many and it truly is God’s work. I am beyond humbled to have been on the receiving end of that.
The Travis Mills Foundation is a nonprofit that I believe every veteran that qualifies for should apply for. They have a massive retreat that they run for year round. Each group stays for about a week and it is full of events, relaxation, good food and even better company. They are based out of Maine and they fly veterans and their families from all over the country to this giant house across from the Belgrade lakes. It was easy for Kass and I because we were able to drive up but the week we spent there was something that I will never forget! They accommodate everything as far as lodging, food and travel they set up a bunch of optional events. You can choose if you want to do them or you can just as easily stay by the lake or stay in your room and relax. The retreat is set up exactly as that... a retreat. A get away. A reminder that an injury doesn’t define you and that life is great. I don’t think that I will ever be able to adequately explain how eye-opening the summer retreat was for me. It showed me how much is still possible for me while also being an extremely relaxing escape. We’re going back in a few months and I can’t wait to see what they have in store for us this winter!
These are just a few of the organizations that have helped me. There were so many different groups, people, organizations, companies and non-profits that have helped to get me where I am today. So many different people forever entwined in my life. I just wanted to highlight a few of the big ones that deserve some recognition. This Giving Tuesday I will reflect on my life and everything that I have been fortunate enough to receive. It is because of donors who have this selfless, generous mindset that I am able to live as comfortably as I do. Thank you will never be enough.
God Bless!
2022 Updates
United Spinal Association is a country wide nonprofit that is pretty well established in the United States. They have some chapters all over the US and I started volunteering for the Greater Boston Chapter of United Spinal Association. This has opened up my own mind and heart to philanthropy, and it has been one of the biggest joys in my life. Being a peer mentor is an extremely humbling experience. Leading a discussion group is equally as humbling. Having a sense of community is such a huge thing after such a life-changing injury, and I am so happy to be able to help facilitate that. This nonprofit is incredible, and the people that run it and volunteer for it are pivotal in the chapter’s success. In order to keep doing what we do, fundraising is necessary. I would very much appreciate it if you would look into the website and explore a little bit of what I’ve been up to, and what the chapter is about!
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