Heroes Outreach Program (HOPe)

I am a retired, disabled veteran who has struggled with PTSD for over 30 years. As so many of my brothers-in-arms, I attempted to end my life. Thankfully, I was not successful. I now see and hear that more than 20 of my brothers and sisters lose that fight, every day. Having been there, I know the pain these heroes are experiencing. I also believe I have a solution that will help some, if not all of them. I have started a program called the Heroes Outreach Program (HOPe). As a retired combat veteran, I know that in times of high stress, a former soldier won't call the VA. They won't call a suicide helpline. They won't even call a family member. They will, however, call a 'Buddy'. The HOPe program is designed after the very successful AA program. The program will consist of meetings in every city and town in the country. Like AA, if a Vet is experiencing hightened stress or depression, they will have a safe place to go to share and find empathy. Like AA's sponsor program, HOPe members will each have a 'Buddy'. This person will be a fellow Vet who understands what the Vet is going through. They will be friends in everyday life. If a Vet is going through something, their Buddy will know about it and will be able to intervene before it goes too far. Every  meeting place will have a list of mental health contacts that everyone will have access to. If someone sees that their Buddy is struggling, they will have the contacts for professional assistance to intervene before it's too late. Of course, there is so much more to this program than what we can explain in this short blog, so we invite you to learn more at http://heroesoutreachprogram.org/
or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/HeroesOutreachProgram

We are in the process of applying for our 501(c)3 status and filing the incorporation with the state of Missouri. While I can cover the cost of filing the incorporation paperwork myself, I can not come up with the more than $4000 needed to file the IRS non-profit paperwork. We also need money for business cards and professional contacts flyers. Once we have that tax exempt status, we will be able to put on fund raisers around the country to cover whatever expenses we run into. Please, any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated and we KNOW we will save a Veteran's life. Thank you for your time and help in this very important mission.