Where the Government Stops, We Take on the Challenge to Continue the Journey
Caption: Music therapy improves mental and emotional health, brain function and memory, physical recovery and pain management. It lowers stress, improves brain recall, boosts mood, aids expression as a non-verbal outlet for processing heavy emotions and trauma, distracts the brain from discomfort during medical procedures, assists surgery recovery, and helps restore movement to help stroke or Parkinson’s patients regain motor control and walking skills.
The Foundation is honored to assist in the healing journey. Examples shown: The donation of a left-handed guitar so that left-handed veterans can fully participate in therapeutic sessions and Reno Mondo Djembes drum to VA Mental Health Clinic Music Therapy program in the VA’s Monterey Division.
Research demonstrates that art psychotherapy uses the creative process to support mental health, improve cognitive function, build emotional resilience, calm the mind, lower anxiety or distress, improve the ability to cope with pain, diminish depression in Parkinson’s patients, and enhance quality of life in cancer patients.
We’re honored to assist in the healing process be it through LEGO gift cards to the Recreation Therapy & Creative Arts Therapy Service, donations of food supplies to support the Spinal Cord Injury & Disorders Unit therapeutic BBQ and cooking group which helps veterans build skills and camaraderie in a healing environment, or art materials to support the next creative expression to patients of the Spinal Cord Injury & Disorders Unit, the Mental Health Clinic and the Trauma Recovery Program at the VA! Gift cards continue to be a valuable flexible giving option, allowing VA programs and units to direct resources where they are needed most.
To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow –
Gardening helps one overcome addiction and supports mental health during outpatient care by reducing stress hormones like cortisol, building routine and responsibility, providing gentle physical exercise, and fostering a sense of community connection. It lowers anxiety and depression through physical contact with nature, gives a sense of peace and calm, boosts self-esteem as one watches plants grow, teaches patience and care for living things, replaces old habits with a healthy new hobby, offers a safe quiet space to process emotions, connects individuals with local community garden groups and reduces feelings of isolation during recovery.
Through the generosity of our donors, the Veterans Foundation has helped Veterans receiving addiction treatment and Intensive Outpatient care at the VA. Gift cards were also supplied to Addiction Treatment Services programs to support refreshments for veteran support events and veteran-developed community recovery projects that promote connection and engagement.
Veterans overcoming health issues meet, maintain the garden and stay connected.
Maintaining independence during ongoing medical care is vital because it preserves a person’s dignity, boosts emotional health, and keeps the body and mind active. When patients do tasks by themselves, they feel more confident and less helpless. It improves emotional strength, body health, brain power, and personal self-worth. To some, reading in bed may not be perceived as a huge advantage. To a patient in long-term subacute care, it can be the difference maker of living constantly with the memories of war or escaping trauma by the distraction of a great read.
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we are able to assist a veteran patient in the Subacute Unit read comfortably in bed and maintain independence while receiving ongoing medical care
