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| Announcements |
| Welcome to Announcements! Keep reading to get the latest events and happenings. |
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GAH Now an eBay Giving Works Charity
[8/31/2010]
Give an Hour™ has been approved as an eBay Giving Works charity. Giving Works enables eBay users to support their favorite causes whenever they buy and sell. Any seller can donate part of his or her sale price to a nonprofit. The seller decides which organization to support and how much to give (10-100 percent), and gets a tax deduction for their gift.
To go directly to our Giving Works page, click here. Or, sellers, just be sure to specify that you want to designate Give an Hour™ as a recipient of a percentage of your proceeds when you list your item.
Thank you! |
Help Launch Homeless Veterans Transitional Housing
[8/27/2010]
The Caravilla Homeless Veterans Transitional Housing Program is working to provide housing and supportive services for homeless veterans in the Rock County area of Wisconsin, as part of Rock Valley Community Programs (RVCP).
RVCP was founded in 1971 and provides services based on accountability, safety, and treatment that enhance the community and the criminal justice system. RVCP also develops and administers programs through partnerships with local, state, and federal agencies.
The Caravilla Program is seeking volunteers and donors to develop its first site of 24 rooms, to house 48 veterans.
For more information, please contact Jana Janes, Operations Manager, at 608-741-4500, or visit the program's cause page on Facebook.
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New Web Site for Caregivers
[8/19/2010]
Veteran CareGiver was developed squarely in response to expressed challenges by Wounded Warrior and Veteran families, and Veterans Affairs leadership. While no single entity or group can respond flawlessly to the individual matters faced by each Veteran due to sheer enormity of the task, families have openly spoken about their altered lives in the face of injury, illness, or aging. At times, feeling isolated, faced with multiple simultaneous issues, and needing answers, they also have expressed needs beyond survival.
Visit veterancaregiver.com for helpful resources such as
Homepage Dashboard
Public Message Board
Benefits Factlets
Forum Postings
Veterans Service Officers
Organization listings
Events & Historical Calendar
Legislative Hill Updates
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Free Webinar on Preventing Suicide, September 9
[8/13/2010]
The Glendon Association is offering a free one-hour Webinar on understanding and preventing Suicide, on Thursday, September 9, 2010, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. EST.
Dr. Lisa Firestone will educate subscribers about the warning signs and risk factors for suicide as well as the helper tasks that can save a life.
For more information, please contact Jina Carvalho at 805-681-0415 ext 29 or jina@glendon.org.
After registering you will receive a confirmation e-mail containing information about joining the Webinar.
Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now at gotomeeting.com. |
Seeking Caregivers of Veterans for New Study
[7/21/2010]
The National Alliance for Caregiving is seeking caregivers of veterans for a new study--to give family caregivers of veterans an opportunity to be heard and to improve services for caregivers of veterans now and beyond.
This survey is now LIVE! Please log on to www.gwsurvey.com.
For more information, please contact Kathy Cameron at kathleen56@caregiving.org or 703-585-6607.
For caregivers who do not have Internet access, the online survey is also available in a paper version to complete and return via regular mail. |
Bethesda Barracudas Host Fourth Annual "Swim for the Troops"
[7/13/2010]
The Bethesda Barracudas, the home team of Gracie and Mira, daughters of GAH Founder and President Barbara Van Dahlen, again supported Give an Hour™ in its effort to provide critical mental health care to our troops and their families, by hosting the fourth annual "Swim for the Troops" on July 5.
In this fundraising swimathon, children obtained sponsors and pledged to swim laps for the troops. Sponsors pledged an amount to donate per lap. Some 840 laps and 150 minutes later, the Barracudas raised $1700 for a grateful Give an Hour™.
To download a photo from the event, please click here.
Thank you, Barracudas! |
July 4, 2010
[7/4/2010]
"As Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and . . . do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do.--And for the support of this Declaration . . . we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."
Thank you to the men, women, and families who serve our nation.
We pledge to you our gratitude and our care.
Happy Fourth! |
Mass. General to Hold Mid-July Conference on PTSD and TBI
[6/25/2010]
Many of the nation's top experts in psychiatric care for veterans will gather in Boston on July 16-17 for the second annual conference entitled "Complexities and Challenges of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury."
The conference focuses on educating community-based healthcare professionals--including physicians, nurses, psychologists, and social workers--to effectively identify and treat returning veterans who suffer from psychological and physical wounds of combat.
The conference is affiliated with the Home Base Program, a partnership between Massachusetts General Hospital and the Boston Red Sox Foundation, and takes place at the Joseph B. Martin Conference Center at Harvard Medical School.
For information on the full agenda, a faculty list, or registration information for the conference, please visit www.mghcme.org or contact Glenn Laudenslager, 203-840-5994. |
Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen in the Running for 2010 Energizer Hall of Fame
[6/16/2010]
GAH Founder and President Barbara Van Dahlen has made it to the next Energizer round!
She has been named one of the 100 semifinalists on the path to becoming the 2010 Energizer Keep Going® Hall of Fame inductee. The Energizer Hall of Fame was created so there would be a place where the extraordinary stories of everyday people can live. A place where Energizer could honor those who match the enthusiasm and passion of the Energizer Bunny®.
If she is named a finalist on July 6, we'll need you to vote for her. For more information, visit Energizer Hall of Fame.
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Thank you, James McClure
[6/15/2010]
Give an Hour™ thanks James McClure for his generous donation and support of our efforts to prevent suicide and get help to our troops.
Mr. McClure is president of the PALS Foundation, a nonprofit committed to educating as many people as possible about the struggles of mental illness and the trauma of suicide. For more information, visit palsfoundation.com. |
Veterans Project and GAH Release New Video
[6/27/2010]
“Meet Me in the Land of Hope and Dreams,” punctuated by the music of Bruce Springsteen, features three veterans who overcame daunting challenges with the help of Give an Hour™. The video was produced and directed by Jeffrey Abelson for The Veterans Project and Give an Hour. Watch it here!
Our partner The Veterans Project (TVP) helps military veterans reintegrate into society when they come home. The organization's mission is to remove the stigma associated with post-traumatic stress and raise operating funds for groups that provide psychological care and job training to veterans in the aftermath of war. TVP creates, acquires, and distributes content for all media platforms, organizes public-awareness campaigns, and produces live events.
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In Memory of Jesus C. Diaz
[5/17/2010]
We thank Matthew Wineski and other friends and family of Jesus Diaz for their generous donation in his name. We are saddened by Jesus' death and rededicate our efforts to help service members, veterans, and their loved ones in his memory. |
Give an Hour™ Eager to Act on Presidential Directive on Military Families
[5/13/2010]
GAH is excited to take part in a new coordinated approach to military care outlined by First Lady Michelle Obama in a recent address to the National Military Family Association's summit.
In her address Mrs. Obama announced that President Obama has directed the National Security Staff to lead a new 90-day review to develop a coordinated Federal government-wide approach to supporting and engaging military families. "We are eager to move forward with our colleagues in the nonprofit arena to coordinate care for this deserving population," says GAH Founder and President Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen.
In describing the President's vision for long-term national support of military families, Mrs. Obama asked that, as a country, all segments of society work together to turn that vision into a reality.
Part of the plan calls for building stronger civilian-military community ties. "That is what we are all about," says Dr. Van Dahlen. "Our volunteer mental health professionals represent the civilian community. By offering free counseling to members of the military and their loved ones and by working to educate communities on the psychological effects of war, we are recognizing the sacrifices our service men and women and their families are making." She adds, "We firmly believe collaboration is the key to effective care."
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Announcing CPTWeb
[4/8/2010]
CPTWeb is a free, 9-hour Web-based, multimedia, education course for mental health professionals seeking to learn Cognitive Processing Therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder, and it is now available to Give an Hour providers at http://cpt.musc.edu.
Based on Cognitive Processing Therapy Veteran/Military Version: Therapist's Manual (Resick, Monson, & Chard, 2008), the asynchronous, modular, self-study approach of CPTWeb allows practitioners to learn at their own pace from virtually any computer with Internet access.
CPTWeb was funded by the U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery and is intended for use by mental health professionals within the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs. It is also available for use by civilian therapists who provide treatment to active duty or retired personnel and members of the Guard and Reserve. It may also be helpful to mental health professionals who are providing treatment to family members.
CPTWeb is offered at no charge, and mental health professionals who complete the course receive 9 contact hours of continuing education from the Medical University of South Carolina.
Each module of CPTWeb includes:
*a video introduction to the technique
*pre- and post-tests of knowledge of a treatment component
*an overview of the module's learning objectives
*a description of the techniques of the treatment component and step-by-step instructions for how to implement them, including sample scripts for introducing the techniques to patients
*multiple video demonstrations of the techniques
*suggested practice assignments for patients
*discussions of common clinical challenges that often arise in real-life practice
For more information, please visit http://cpt.musc.edu.
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National Alliance for Caregiving Seeks Caregivers for Study
[3/22/2010]
The National Alliance for Caregiving is seeking caregivers for a study of caregivers of veterans from World War II through the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The study is intended to determine how caregivers of veterans are faring and what community and VA services, resources, and programs would support and assist them with their caregiving activities. For the purposes of this study, caregivers are defined as those providing unpaid assistance with activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, and feeding, and other daily tasks, such as taking medications, transportation to doctor's appointments, and housekeeping.
Cash incentives will be available for study participants and veterans who refer them. Information obtained from the focus groups, telephone interviews, and Internet survey will be confidential and will not be connected to the individual caregivers participating in the study. The National Alliance for Caregiving has conducted many national research studies on caregiving, available on www.caregiving.org.
Additional information may be found in this flyer.
Caregivers of veterans who would be willing to participate in telephone interviews, focus groups, or an on-line survey should contact Kathy Cameron at kathleen56@caregiving.org for more information.
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Give an Hour™ Volunteer Mental Health Professionals Provide More Than $2.4 in Services
[3/12/2010]
We continue to be amazed by the generosity and dedication of our providers, especially as the results of our early March survey have come in.
The March 2010 survey indicates our mental health professionals have donated a total of 24,106 hours in mental health services, including direct counseling, education, and outreach, but not including volunteer hours spent on operations. At the nationwide average of $100 per hour for mental health services, Give an Hour™ providers have donated $2,410,625 since we began providing these critical services in July 2007.
A big thank you to all our volunteers!
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Give an Hour™ Launches Arkansas Initiative
[3/11/2010]
Give an Hour™ is proud to announce a statewide initiative in Arkansas to provide free counseling and other mental health services to members of the military, veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, their loved ones, and their communities.
“We have been working to make sure that Arkansas veterans and their families know that help is available, and that it’s okay to reach out and ask for it,” Governor Mike Beebe said. “This is the next step. The more professionals we have ready to provide counseling and guidance, the more assurance and assistance we can give to those who serve.”
“I am honored to have the support of Governor Beebe and proud to be working with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Division of Behavioral Health Services, and the Yellow Ribbon Task Force here in Arkansas,” says Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, founder and president of Give an Hour™. “We are also working with the state associations of the major national mental health organizations to recruit more providers to our network, which will help ensure that help is available where and when it is needed.”
Give an Hour™ providers offer assistance to individuals, couples, children, and families. In addition to direct counseling, volunteers give presentations, provide consultation, teach skills, offer support and, perhaps most important, demystify mental health care for those who serve as well as for those who seek to support our troops.
Please see our press release and event photos from Governor Beebe's office for further information. |
Ride to Recovery: Join Us
[8/25/2010]
The Ride 2 Recovery (R2R) program, ride2recovery.com, helps make a difference in the lives of vets by assisting in their mental and physical rehabilitation. Funds raised support the participation of wounded warriors and vets in R2R challenge rides and provide bikes, technical equipment, clinics, and outings.
This spring and summer GAH sponsored riders with "invisible injuries" in the Don’t Mess with Texas Challenge, April 6-11; the Memorial Challenge, from Whipple Field on Ft. Meyer to Virginia Beach, May 31-June 5; and the Rocky Mountain Challenge, July 31-August 5. GAH Director of Military Outreach and Education Andrew Pogany participated in all three rides and recruited other veterans to the GAH team. You can see photos from the rides and Andrew's comments in our News section.
For a taste of the experience, watch here
for scenes from the Texas ride.
If you are a wounded warrior who would like to ride in one of these challenges, or an individual or corporate employee who would like to sponsor a rider, please e-mail Andrew Pogany at gapogany@giveanhour.org. It costs $1,100 per rider.
We thank Sydex Technologies and the Galvin Family for their generous donations to this program as well as Jennie Curtis for her generous donation and enthusiastic support. |
GAH's Barbara Van Dahlen Named "Woman Who Is Changing the World"
[2/15/2010]
Give an Hour founder and president Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen was named one of 50 "women who are changing the world" as profiled in Woman's Day Magazine. Other women named by the magazine include Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Angelina Jolie, Oprah Winfrey, Dara Torres, Melinda Gates, and Billie Jean King.
All 50 women can be found here.
Congratulations, Barbara, on this tremendous honor! |
Seeking Veterans Battling Addiction
[2/9/2010]
Videographer Tristan Dyer, recipient of a filmmaking fellowship with the Web-based documentary series "In Their Boots," is seeking veterans to participate in audio-only interviews.
The final project, a short documentary focusing on veterans who have struggled or are struggling with substance abuse, will be animated.
A veteran himself who has been affected by addiction, Tristan is looking specifically for veterans of the Afghanistan/ Iraq conflicts. His goal is to raise awareness about a new generation of veterans struggling to reintegrate into civilian society.
If you are interested in participating in or spreading the word about Tristan's project, please contact him at tristan.dyer73@yahoo.com.
You can also visit the In Their Boots and TristanDyer Web sites. |
Thoughts from the Bob Woodruff Foundation
[1/31/2010]
With appreciation for and thanks to the Woodruff Foundation (one of our sponsors), we reprint the following letter from their executive director.
Dear Friends,
Today is a meaningful day for the Bob Woodruff Foundation.
We call it Bob's "Alive Day."
That's because it's been four years since the day he was seriously injured while covering the Iraq War. Thankfully, Bob recovered. Through this recovery, he and his family realized they could help other service members and their families who have given so much more for our country, and who now need our help.
We want to make this day, and the month of February a month of dialogue on the issues. Through our public education movement, ReMIND, we're working to raise awareness about the needs of service members -- and our nation's great responsibility to ensure our heroes and their families receive the support they need to have successful futures.
Will you help? Join our movement in any one of the following ways:
* Join our Facebook page ReMIND - A Bob Woodruff Foundation Initiative and spread this message to your friends
* Follow us on Twitter @ReMIND_org to retweet and get your followers involved in the cause
* Send us an email at info@ReMIND.org to share your story or tell us how you are making a difference for our nation's heroes in your community
* Donate at www.ReMIND.org where you can support programs that connect troops to the help they need -- whether it's physical accommodations, medical care and counseling, or solutions to larger social issues like substance abuse, homelessness, and suicide among veterans.
Today, we're celebrating. But we still have a lot of work to do. With your continued support, together, we can make a difference.
Sincerely,
René Bardorf
Executive Director
Bob Woodruff Foundation
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GAH Offers Free Mental Health Services to Military and Civilian Personnel Serving in Haiti
[3/16/2010]
Give an Hour™ has expanded its free mental health services to all military personnel and civilian aid workers, as well as their families, serving in Haiti.
While up to now Give an Hour™’s focus has been on providing free counseling and other mental health services to military members, veterans, their families, and their communities who are experiencing the psychological effects of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Give an Hour™ will expand its reach to include military and civilian personnel who have been called to duty in Haiti. Currently, there are more than 4,600 providers nationwide in the Give an Hour™ network.
“As our nation learned following the September 11 attacks, relief workers are often understandably traumatized by the experience of assisting in the aftermath of a disaster. Those of us in the mental health community must now do our part to assist these relief workers— military and civilian—by making ourselves available to those who have stepped up to provide relief following the devastation in Haiti,” explains Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, founder and president of Give an Hour™.
For the complete GAH press release on this development, please click here.
For related news from partner mental health organizations, please visit njmhca.org and pamhca.org. |
GAH Receives $45,000 Grant from The Standard Charitable Foundation
[1/19/2010]
The Standard Charitable Foundation, the independent charitable and philanthropic arm of Standard Insurance Company (“The Standard”), has awarded a one-year grant of $45,000 to the veteran’s mental health program Give an Hour™.
"We are proud to again partner with The Standard Charitable Foundation," said Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, founder and president of Give an Hour™.“ They clearly recognize the importance of our efforts as well as our need for financial support to sustain our organization and to continue to grow to meet the needs of this very deserving population."
The grant from The Standard Charitable Foundation will help Give an Hour™ and its more than 4,500 providers across the nation continue to serve veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars as well as recruit volunteer mental health professionals to its network.
“At The Standard, we strive to help people achieve financial security,” said Greg Ness, president of The Standard Charitable Foundation and president and CEO at The Standard. “This philosophy also guides the Foundation’s commitment to support organizations such as Give an Hour™, whose positive impact on families and individuals dealing with disabilities, mental health issues and the loss of loved ones can be felt in communities throughout our nation.”
For the full press release, please click here. |
GAH Launches in Kentucky
[1/19/2010]
Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) have just announced that Kentucky will join the Give an Hour™ initiative. Gov. Beshear and CHFS are asking Kentucky-licensed mental health professionals to volunteer an hour of free service each week for up to one year to returning troops and their families.
“It’s vital for our soldiers and their families to know they can and should seek help when needed,” said Gov. Beshear. “This program can make a difference and even save lives.” We thank Gov. Beshear for his understanding and commitment and are honored to be working with him on this effort.
An audio news release about the initiative can be found here, and a written press release here. |
Army Medical Command Seeks Civilian Behavioral Health Professionals
[1/4/2010]
The U.S. Army Medical Command (MEDCOM) is seeking civilian behavioral health professionals for national and overseas opportunities. Psychologists and social workers will provide assessment and counseling in the treatment of substance abuse, co-occurring disorders, and suicide risk assessment associated with PTSD for active duty military and family members.
MEDCOM requires candidates with Master's Degrees and independent clinical licensure. U.S. citizens only.
To apply, send your resume referencing MC1 to Jennifer.Loy@usarmy.mil and visit medcell.army.mil. |
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