Earlier this week, the nation took a day to remember and honor all the men and women who have served and are currently serving in our U.S. military. As we thank those who have fought for our freedom, we would be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge the coincidence of Memorial Day occurring during the month of May, which also happens to be Mental Health Awareness month.
The Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs states that an active duty service member or veteran dies by suicide almost once an hour. Many servicemen struggle with various mental impacts as a result of being in combat, surviving it and coming back home, trying to integrate into a life that is no longer the one they knew before going to war. PTSD, depression, anxiety, substance abuse and other mental illnesses affect many soldiers, and currently, there are not enough resources available to treat returning Veterans and these “invisible wounds.”
The Live Love Serve Foundation firmly believes in eliminating the stigma of mental illness and also ensuring those who fight for our country are well supported when returning home. This is why we have partnered with the Blue Angels Foundation and the Charlotte business community to bring awareness and promote hope and healing for our nation’s heroes.
Last year, we partnered with Hopeway and others in the Charlotte community to raise money to build a residential treatment program for Veterans with PTSD via Hopeway’s campus in Charlotte. A Hopeway and Blue Angels Dinner event kicked-off the fundraising and more than 200 local business partners from Charlotte attended the event. CBI Workplace Solutions and the Live Love Serve Foundation sponsored a table at the event and throughout the evening generous gifts were made by CBI Workplace Associates, David and Christine Longo, and David and Susan Dooley. By the end of the evening, CBI and the Live Love Serve Foundation’s total contributions to Hopeway and the Blue Angels Foundation exceeded $427,000. We continue to support these organizations as they make progress on this initiative within 2020.
Learn more about our partners Hopeway and the Blue Angels Foundation, and remember that these resources are available for all military members who may be struggling. Also, see an update on the Veteran’s PTSD Treatment Program on Hopeway’s blog here.
