Issues Addressed

The challenges that face our service members, whether they are active duty, newly returned, or have been home for years, must be addressed. PROJECT: VetRelief is not a fix all. We cannot eradicate war. We do not cure disease. And we do not claim to have all the answers. However, our method of addressing a service member’s need in a time of crisis, working to secure benefits to get them back on track, and having a support system at the ready serves as a deterrent to the systemic issues we see our service men and women confronting time and again.

Emergency Situations

poverty

Nearly 1 million veterans ages 18 to 64 lived in poverty over the span of 12 months

(U.S. Census Bureau, 2008-2010 American Community Survey)

homeless

On a single night in January 2013, there were over 57,000 homeless veterans in the United States

(U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2013 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress)

unemployment

Over 700,000 veterans were unemployed in 2013

(U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Situation of Veterans Summary, Released 2014)

How Emergency Assistance Helps

Sometimes all that’s needed is a little help getting out of a hole. Without that help, you slide deeper into that hole. With Emergency Assistance, and the support of your military brothers and sisters, PROJECT: VetRelief prevents an emergency situation from escalating into an insurmountable obstacle.

Issues with Benefits

benefits

59% of veterans surveyed stated they did not understand their general benefits

(National Survey of Veterans, 2010)

benefits

60% of all veterans did not use a VA benefit or service in 2012

(National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics, Unique Veteran Users Report, Released 2014)

benefits

Only 260,000, of Florida’s 1.6 million veterans, are receiving service-related compensation or pension from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

(Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs, 2014 Florida Veterans’ Benefits Guide)

How Benefits Support Helps

If you served your country you are entitled to benefits. Many service members are not aware of the benefits available to them. Some have encountered roadblocks in the filing process. And others, frustrated, have given up on the process entirely. Let us help. Receiving the benefits you deserve can prevent an emergency situation or challenging life event from worsening.

Feelings of Isolation

suicide

Every 65 minutes, a veteran takes their own life. That’s 22 suicides a day. 8,030 a year.

(Department of Veteran Affairs, 2013)

isolation

Major depression among military is five times higher than civilians

(Study: Rates of many mental disorders much higher in soldiers than in civilians, JAMA Psychiatry, 2014)

isolation

Service members during a third or fourth tour are more than twice as likely as those on their first tour to meet screening criteria for acute stress, depression, or anxiety

(Office of the Surgeon General, 2013)

How Community Support Helps

In the military you had a chain of command. If you had a problem, you saw your superior. If you were sick, you went to medical. Issues with pay, you would visit administration. However, in society there is no formal structure and navigating civilian life can be difficult and isolating. Having a support system counteracts isolation and the devastating effects that so often come with it.