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One in three homeless
men in America is a veteran.
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Jeffrey
was a silent hero, touching many lives......
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"Hope For Our Heros"
Rummage Sale! |
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Every dollar generated
goes toward helping combat veterans to receive mental
health care and treatment for combat PTSD” See Details |
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"To thy hands we our souls,
Lord, commend" |
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Loved ones lost to
combat PTSD related suicide.
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Our first step is simple:
get the word out.
No subject is in the news so much in recent times as
PTSD, and for good
reason. Studies show that on average, 25% of returning
veterans suffer from PTSD. Given that this number
represents only those reporting the symptoms, the actual
number could be much higher. The American Psychiatric
Association (APA) has urged Congress to allocate more
funding to the Department of Veterans Affairs in order
to keep up with the needs of returning soldiers.
According to Joseph T. English, M.D. in his address
before the subcommittee last April 2005, $960 million
per year added to the proposed budget until the year
2010 would be needed. The VA has since forecasted a $2.6
billion shortfall in meeting the growing healthcare
needs of U.S. veterans. Nevertheless, the V.A. is only
one part of the solution. Our returning veterans need
more. They need a place to decompress and
rediscover how they fit into the ever-changing civilian
world. They need all
factions of recovery made easily accessible to them.
They need a place to recover. This is where The Lehner
Foundation and "Jeff’s House" come in. |
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Step two is funding. While
grants are available and will be sought after, we
intend to not only educate the community to the demon of
the mind called PTSD, but seek out donors, benefactors,
and volunteers to help with day to day operations.
Fundraisers and auctions are part of the picture, but
also we will appeal to larger institutions and
foundations which might be able to take up the slack by
giving larger amounts or meeting specific goals. By
teaming up with like-minded non-profit organizations,
the access to funding reaches beyond what just local
networking can provide. |
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Our goal will be to open a
home with the potential for 6 to 10
residents. In a quiet setting, veterans can come to
rehabilitate and receive
intensive treatment for PTSD under the care of licensed
councilors while
reacclamating back to society in a safe environment.
Daily group therapy, as well as one on one meetings with
PTSD councillors and transportation to V.A. meetings and
appointments will be provided. Due to the close
relationship between PTSD and substance abuse, onsite
daily A.A. meetings will be available as well as access
to local offsite meetings. Encouraging sponsorship
within the Santa Barbara veteran AA community will help
to foster new bonds with those who truly care and
understand the difficulties facing veterans suffering
with drug and alcohol problems. Acupuncture,
chiropractics, and massage will also be encouraged since
a healthy body is a key factor in a healthy mind. As for
healing the soul, our spiritual community has
enthusiastically agreed to sponsor a mentorship program
where volunteers from various local religious
institutions "adopt a soldier". These Foster Friends in
Faith drive the resident to and from church, temple,
etc. where they are introduced to the local community
and nurtured in their continuing faith. |
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