Doing right by Ms. Wright
In March 2020, as the deadly coronavirus quickly spread all over the world, the Purple Heart Foundation started to pivot it’s focus on programming to better help the veterans being affected by the pandemic. 43 of the 50 states, that make up these United States of America, shut down and/or issued a stay-at-home order to prevent the virus from spreading to more people quicker. However, these necessary health precautions made it difficult for businesses to keep paying their employees, or even to stay open much longer. Many businesses closed or downsized, causing the unemployment rate to reach unprecedented levels for most tradesman and service-related jobs…ideal jobs veterans sought out in order to utilize their skills, work with their hands, and start new careers after their service. Once these statistics became clear, the Veteran Assistance Grant program was born.
The Purple Heart Foundation’s Veteran Assistance Grant program was created to cover emergency debts a veteran might be facing due to the extreme circumstances created by the coronavirus pandemic. The program was designed to bridge the gap for veterans in-need.
For example, U.S. Air Force disabled veteran, Ms. Wright, became unemployed in April 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Her car was inoperable, and she couldn’t afford to fix it and continue to pay for Uber rides to and from interviews and the grocery store while she looked for work. The Purple Heart Foundation was able to collect all Ms. Wright’s information regarding her situation and approve her for a Veteran Assistance Grant to help pay for her car repairs. Ms. Wright can now search for employment and still meet her other monetary responsibilities without spreading herself too thin, financially or otherwise.
After receiving her grant, we caught up with Ms. Wright and this is what she had to say:
“Thank you for not only awarding this amount, but thank you for being there for veterans in their times of need. Feeling unsure about what’s going to happen with my car, this amount awarded allowed me the security of being able to maintain having a car, which is a critical part of accomplishing daily needs. Even though these circumstances affect everyone in our country, it’s an honor to know we can be there for each other even during a pandemic.”Ms. C. Wright (Las Angeles, CA)
The Purple Heart Foundation does not receive government funds and relies 100% on donations from supporters like you. This holiday season, with coronavirus numbers peaking again, we expect even more veterans in situations like Ms. Wright’s will need your help. The Veteran Assistance Grant could prevent veterans from becoming homeless in these cold winter months or prevent a veteran from having to choose between keeping the lights on or putting food on the table.
With your gift of $25, $50, $100, $250 or more, you could help more veterans like Ms. Wright feel the security of having a support system to tackle the struggles they are facing during these difficult times.
Help make this holiday season a little easier for a veteran facing hardships. Or, if you (or someone you know) are a veteran facing a similar situation, please apply for assistance with the Purple Heart Foundation today.
4 Ways to Give Back
There are a few days throughout the year when we think about or officially recognize veterans and service men and women. But there are ways to give back to current and former members of our military every day of the year.
Say thank you.
When you see a service man or woman in uniform, or a person wearing something that identifies them as a veteran, take a minute to say hello and thank you. You don’t need to make a big, dramatic gesture; just let them know you appreciate their service. If they feel like talking, take the time to listen to their stories.
Hire a vet.
Do you own a business? Consider hiring a veteran. You can work with the United States Department of Labor’s VETS Program, or similar nonprofit organization that helps vouch for and place qualified veterans in businesses.
Stay informed.
Only a fraction of U.S. citizens currently serve, and few Americans have personal contact with members of our military, causing a disconnect between the military and the civilian worlds. Take some time to get informed about the issues facing our troops and veterans. Follow veteran organizations on social media, and learn about how you can help.
Make a donation.
When you donate to the Purple Heart Foundation, your generous gift helps us to support veterans and their families during their transition from the battlefield to the home front.
Our programs and those to which we award grants support hundreds of thousands of our nation’s heroes. There are many ways you can make a tax-deductible donation.
- Visit our website and make a credit card donation.
- Call us at 888-414-4483 or complete the form to donate your vehicle.
- Schedule a pick-up to donate clothing or household goods.
- Simply text PURPLE to 20222 to make a $10.00 donation right now.
- Consider becoming a Purple Heart Legacy member, and leave a gift from your estate. Call us at 703-256-6139 to discuss your options.
We often get asked how we use your donations. Here is a snapshot. If you want more information, give us a call; we would be happy to share it with you.
We use your generous donations
- To help fund research and assistance that tackle the unseen wounds impacting veterans, things like Post Traumatic Stress (PTS), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI); suicide, and sexual abuse
- To fund Purple Heart’s Service Officers, who are stationed throughout the country to work with veterans informing them about education opportunities, scholarships, disability compensation, employment training, hospitalization and rehabilitation benefits, pensions, and more
- To employ a full-time attorney dedicated to protecting the interests of wounded servicemen and women and presenting veterans’ claims before a court
Spreading Holiday Love
The spirit of giving brings us together, whether it’s giving Christmas presents under the tree or giving back in your community.
In an effort to spread holiday cheer, Purple Heart Foundation staff volunteered on Saturday, December 21, 2019 to serve a holiday meal and distribute care packages to homeless veterans at the Department of Veteran Affairs Community Resource & Referral Center, in Washington D.C., driven by the sole purpose, “to holistically enhance the quality of life of all veterans.”
It hurt to see the necessity in our own community; just think how many more homeless veterans are out there? As passionate employees of the Purple Heart Foundation that work hard to help as many veterans as possible, thoughts like this hit close to home. Our heroes deserve the very best after everything they’ve sacrificed.
Here’s what our volunteers said about their humble service on Saturday:
“It was a very positive experience. It felt really good to give back to those veterans who served” – Mitchell Theis
“The VA staff members had wonderful holiday spirit and I look forward to doing more volunteer work next year.” – Berhanu Adamu
The Purple Heart Foundation’s Marketing Manager, Amelia Kakar, said “It was very fulfilling to see all the veterans savoring the holiday meal we served, and to see their smiles as they opened our care packages. I’m also very proud of our staff who volunteered on a weekend to not only serve a holiday meal and distribute care packages but to bring hope, kindness and joy to homeless veterans who may not have been able to celebrate Christmas with family and friends this year. The experience was inspiring. My goal, as we move into a new decade, is to coordinate more experiences like this for our staff and corporate partners all over the country to work directly with their local veterans too.”
Purple Heart Foundation employee, Bianca Meruvia, has been volunteering since childhood with her mother, Luisa Meruvia, who also volunteered Saturday. Bianca said she chose a non-profit career path because “helping those in need fills my heart with joy. At one point in life I was in their position and I’m not ashamed because it made me the person I am today. I’m truly grateful for every little thing in life and everyone in it because when I needed help someone was there for me. I want them to know that I will be there for them and they’re not alone… especially at this time, which tends to be the hardest. It made me so happy to see the smiles on their faces.”
The staff enjoyed their experience giving back. Hands-on experiences such as this can be life changing for both the giver and receiver. Your support of the Purple Heart Foundation as we transition into 2020 will allow us to continue creating life changing experiences for our nation’s heroes. Donate by 11:59pm on New Years Eve USING THIS LINK, and our partners at Nexen Tire will double your donation!
Whiskey With A Cause: The Glenlivet 14 Year Old
The Purple Heart Foundation is solely dedicated to serving our nation’s heroes and The Glenlivet has joined our cause!
The Glenlivet is commemorating Purple Heart Month by partnering with the Purple Heart Foundation to introduce the brand new 14-Year-Old single malt scotch whiskey, in honor of our heroes. You still have time to buy a bottle of this newly crafted sing malt scotch whisky. Every purchase benefits the Purple Heart Foundation! For every bottle of The Glenlivet 14-Year-Old sold at participating retailers from July 1 to December 31, 2019, The Glenlivet will donate $1 to the Purple Heart Foundation, with a minimum guaranteed donation of $50,000, up to $100,000! The Glenlivet’s generosity will help the Purple Heart Foundation enhance the quality of life for thousands of veterans and their families across the country.
We invite you to buy a bottle of The Glenlivet 14-Year-Old and raise your glass in honor of all our heroes. Your purchase or donation will make a difference, and it will help us fund resources and programs that are so desperately needed by our veterans today. Anyone (over 21) can still honor a Purple Heart recipient this Purple Heart Month by purchasing a bottle of The Glenlivet 14-Year-Old from your local participating retailer this August!
To read more about The Glenlivet in the official press release, please click HERE.
To buy a bottle of The Glenlivet 14 Year Old, please click HERE.
To DONATE to the Purple Heart Foundation, please click HERE.
