Wounded Warrior Project Awards Grant to Yellow Ribbon Fund

WWP Grant Program Broadens Network of Support and Services for Injured Service Members

News provided by

Jun 11, 2015, 11:00 ET

BETHESDA, Md., June 11, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Yellow Ribbon Fund™ (YRF) has received a grant from Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) to fund respite retreats for the family caregivers of injured service members. WWP's Grant Program, now in its fourth year, is expanding the availability of programs and services that provide support to this generation of injured service members.

Due to the daily demands of caring for an injured military loved one, family caregivers rarely get a chance to slow down, relax, and connect with other caregivers, as they did at this recent YRF Caregiver Retreat in the mountains near Gatlinburg, Tenn. (Photo: Jessica Allen)

Caregivers put their lives on hold for months or even years to assist the recovery of their injured loved ones. Managing the caregiver's stress and keeping her or him in good health has a positive effect on the injured service member's recovery. A lack of official services for caregivers has left a gap that YRF has filled over the years with stress-relieving support services and mentoring.

"Our Caregiver Retreats reinvigorate caregivers by taking them away from the daily grind of caring for permanently injured service members," said Jessica Allen, the Yellow Ribbon Fund's Family Caregiver Program director, who is also a caregiver for her combat-injured husband. "Even just a few days of relaxing and connecting with other caregivers produces measurable changes in perspective, energy level, and empowerment, and that improves the care they're able to provide. We're also seeing the caregivers stay in touch with each other for ongoing mutual support after they go home."

Since 2005, the Yellow Ribbon Fund has filled gaps in services for injured service members and their families, from hospital to hometown. Last year, 85 cents of every dollar spent went to services and programs, including free transportation and housing during recovery, plus social events and outings, career and education mentoring, family caregiver support, and wellness programs.

"Working together with these excellent organizations, we are expanding and strengthening the network of support we can provide to our warriors, free of charge," said Steve Nardizzi, chief executive officer at WWP. "Side by side with WWP, our grant recipients are creating and deploying critically needed, specialized programs and services across the country, ensuring that no warrior falls through the cracks."

WWP focuses on providing grants to organizations that operate in underserved areas or provide services outside the scope of WWP's 20 free programs and services. The Yellow Ribbon Fund was selected as a grant recipient because it delivers services to the often overlooked population of family caregivers for injured veterans, a funding priority that WWP selected based on direct feedback from injured veterans in WWP's Annual Alumni Survey. Since 2010, WWP has been using survey data to identify gaps in existing services and support. The results help WWP gauge the top issues that injured veterans, their families, and caregivers struggle with as they transition from military to civilian life.

It is estimated that over 50,000 servicemen and women have been physically injured in recent military conflicts; another 320,000 have experienced a traumatic brain injury while on deployment, and as many as 400,000 additional service members live with the invisible wounds of war, including combat-related stress, major depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

For more information on WWP's Grant Program and a description of the grant recipients, please visit 2015 WWP Grant Program.

Get social! Follow WWP on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/wwp), Twitter (@WWP), Instagram (https://instagram.com/wwp/) and Youtube (http://www.youtube.com/user/WoundedWarriorProjec), and the Yellow Ribbon Fund on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/YellowRibbonFund), Twitter (@YRFund), and Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/user/YellowRibbonFundInc), to see how we're working together to honor and empower Wounded Warriors.

About Yellow Ribbon Fund
Since 2005, the Yellow Ribbon Fund has filled gaps in services for injured service members and their families, from hospital to hometown. Last year, 85 cents of every dollar spent went to services and programs. During hospital recovery, YRF offers free rental cars, taxi rides, hotel stays, and apartments; support for family caregivers; and social events, outings, and career and education mentoring. After they return home, YRF's Wellness Program, nationwide network of volunteers, and TUF Team of veteran athletes continue to provide practical support.

About Wounded Warrior Project
The mission of Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) is to honor and empower Wounded Warriors. WWP's purpose is to raise awareness and to enlist the public's aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. WWP is a national, nonpartisan organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. To get involved and learn more, visit woundedwarriorproject.org

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150611/222439

SOURCE Wounded Warrior Project