Veterans Helping Other Veterans with Therapeutic Kits
The CARES Act was recently passed by Congress. This act granted $17.2 billion to the Veteran Affairs office. This money helped the nonprofit Help Heal Veterans create therapeutic craft kits for veterans. Help Heal Veterans is based in California and was founded by Joe McClain, a Navy veteran.
“This really is a piece of small magic we make here in California designed from the ground up to help vets and active military with a wide variety of challenges,” McClain said in an interview with Spectrum News 1.
The therapeutic craft kits put together by Help Heal Veterans include woodwork, sewing, and art supplies. About 30,000 kits are assembled per month, but the pandemic increased demand. In a time where some veterans may not be able to connect with friends, family, or their therapist, McClain hopes the therapeutic craft kits can help.
“To me, it speaks to the need and the desire for folks to reach out and help them deal with the situation they’re in right now,” McClain said.
“This is probably the most important time in (the) history of our organization that’s been around for 50 years that our impact, which has been great over those 50 years, is even more impactful because the stakes have never been higher.”
The pandemic is taking a toll on veterans, especially those who suffer from PTSD, homelessness, or lack of emotional support, according to McClain.
In addition to Help Heal Vets, there are other ways to help veterans. Operation Rubix is a network of options for veterans and their families. If you or a loved one is a veteran who is in need of mental health care, check out the resources we have available through Operation Rubix. You can reach out to our staff by calling 941-777-8387 or emailing us at info@operationrubix.org.