Help to save the 2025 Veterans Meditation Retreat

MATCHING GIFT ALERT!

Double Your Impact for Veterans

We’ve received an exciting offer — a generous supporter of the Veterans Meditation Retreat has pledged a $5,000 matching gift to help ensure the retreat happens! That means every dollar you give now will be matched — up to $5,000!

Your $25 becomes $50.

Your $100 becomes $200.

Together, we can raise $10,000 — and give more veterans access to life-changing healing.

⏳ The clock is ticking. The retreat begins on August 29th! We must raise the $5,000 match as soon as possible.

Please give today — and share this with someone who believes in supporting our veterans.

From all of us — and from the veterans who will benefit — thank you for your support and solidarity.

We’re reaching out with urgency and hope. The 2025 Veterans Meditation Retreat (VMR)—a lifeline for veterans struggling with trauma and suicidal thoughts—is at risk of being canceled due to a funding shortfall. The retreat will take place August 29 - September 1, 2025 at the Clyde Hotel in Albuquerque. The current economic climate has made fundraising especially difficult.

But the need has never been greater.

For the past 20 years, New Mexico’s suicide rate has been at least 50% higher than the national average. Among veterans in our state, the numbers are even more alarming: we lose nearly six veterans every month to suicide.

This crisis demands more than awareness—it requires action, and the VMR project is ready to respond. It is a project for veterans, created by veterans. Ralph Steele is the guiding teacher. He is a former Vietnam veteran with decades of experience as a therapist. He has been a meditation instructor since 1984 and began the project.

The impact VMR has is real: At our 2024 retreat, 90% of participants left confident in their ability to use meditation to improve their well-being. Some reported life-changing breakthroughs. Here's a link to the LTMC website: https://lifetransition.com/vmr/

This year, the VMR Project and Ralph Steele were honored with a formal recognition by the House of Representatives of the State of NM, by bringing trauma alleviating projects to our community. The VMR25 committee received the certificate together in the Roundhouse.

90% of donations fund housing, meals, and transportation at the annual retreat, and instruction and support in the months following. Remaining funds are used to collect and analyze data. Additional donations will help to serve additional veterans.

The Veterans Meditation Retreat Project (VMR) was created under the non-profit organization Life Transition Meditation Center (LTMC) in 2023.