The U.S. has a very unique and very clear problem. It is not a new one, it is not a surprising one, and it is not one that has not been talked about at great lengths. That problem is suicide within the military community, and I don’t just mean among our active duty. Veterans, Retirees, Junior Enlisted, Senior Enlisted, and Officers alike, are taking their own lives at rates that have not been seen since before World War II.
The STaggering statistics
According to the 2023 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, the increase in recent years is attributed to COVID-19, financial concerns, increased alcohol use, and several other factors. In 2021, 6,392 Veterans died by suicide, an increase of 114 suicides from 2020. When looking at increases in rates from 2020 to 2021, the age- and sex-adjusted suicide rate among Veterans increased by 11.6%, while the age- and sex-adjusted suicide rate among non-veteran U.S. adults increased by 4.5%. Veterans remain at elevated risk for suicide, the NVSPAR study states.
So who is doing anything about the epidemic of suicide that is continuing to ravage our military community from the inside out?
One organization is taking the task head-on, but not alone. They are joining forces with those who know this problem best, those who know the victims, the stakes, and the consequences of what this country is losing each time a member of our military community takes their own life. That organization is The Patriot Fund.
Providing what veterans deserve
The Patriot Fund mission is “to provide funding for the critical services veterans deserve to ensure their lifelong needs are sustained,” and they are teaming up with nonprofits in a way that services veterans and members of the military community directly.
According to Matthew Ellison, executive director of The Patriot Fund, “The Patriot Fund’s mission is to support our veterans and their families by funding only great nonprofits that offer crucial services like mental health, housing, or reintegration into civilian life. It’s about bridging the gap between veterans in need and the organizations that are dedicated and capable of addressing their specific challenges.”
fundraising through inspired giving
The goal of The Patriots Fund is to focus on inspiring a patriotic and philanthropically-minded audience with emotional stories of impact. They motivate the population to provide financial support through The Patriot Fund and trust them to perform the necessary due diligence to identify and pass support to the best operational partners. Through The Patriot Fund, donors can trust their financial support is having their desired impact – not building an endowment, overly compensating staff, or supporting infrastructure.
Over The Patriot Funds’ nine-year history, they have raised over $10 million for veteran-focused non-profits. They aim to have a measurable impact on the lives of veterans, particularly in areas like mental health, homelessness, and suicide prevention. The Patriot Fund does this by hosting fundraising events that bring together patriotic support and raise funds together. The funds are then distributed to the Funds’ partners that provide direct services to veterans and their families. Through strategic engagement with a network of donors, volunteers, and partners, The Patriot Fund has created an ecosystem of support for veterans.
Impact in real time
One such organization is Leashes of Valor, a national nonprofit that provides highly-trained service dogs to post-9/11 veterans to help with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other “unseen wounds” of military service. Whenever possible, they source dogs from animal shelters and rescue organizations. The goal of Leashes of Valor is to enrich and improve the lives of both veterans and dogs: one leash saves two lives.
Jason Haag, CEO of Leashes of Valor and a retired Marine, is also a wounded combat veteran and is paired with a service animal. “Unfortunately for myself, I zigged when I was supposed to zag a couple of times.,” Haag started off. “My last deployment to Afghanistan sucked and it was decided that I needed to be medically retired. I left kicking and screaming.”
Haag explained that he tried every therapy ‘under the sun’ that the VA had to offer, and none of it worked for him. It was then that he discovered service dogs, and regardless of him being a dog person or not, he went in with an open mind. That dog saved his life. Haag continued to explain that the service dog, named Axel, saved him by giving him purpose and something to take care of because it wasn’t just him anymore.
That was back in 2017 and it was then that Haag decided to start Leashes of Valor and help other veterans on their journeys to get paired up with a life-changing, and life-saving service animal.
“Since our inception, we’ve paired up about 30 dogs and veterans,” continued Haag. “As of right now, we have 30 dogs currently in the pipeline, and we are rocking and rolling with the help of The Patriot Fund. They have been a huge help to get us where we are going. The biggest challenge is that training a dog takes so long. All of that takes time and money. You don’t take off holidays or weekends when training them, because these are live animals that need care 24/7.”
The Patriot Fund is more than funding, it is a community
According to Haag, another challenge is trying to get the animals to the veterans in time before a crisis can happen. Because the training is a long cycle, Service Dogs can take up to two years to fully train, depending on how much staff and funds are available. Also, there is the cost of bringing the veterans in to meet the dogs, go through training, and understand how to deal with and care for a service animal. You cannot just give a service dog to a person and expect them to know how to meet that animal’s needs.
Leashes of Valor has been working with The Patriot Fund for nearly four years. Haag also explained that working with the Fund is not just about monetary support. To him, the money isn’t the only helpful aspect of the relationship, there is mentorship and camaraderie between all of the operations that the Fund supports. The Patriot Fund wants these organizations to succeed so they dive in fully to ensure that it happens. By bringing Leashes of Valor to events such as the fundraising events and galas, directly to where the donors also are, the Patriot Fund is not only showing off who the donations are going to, but they are also showing, in real-time, how these funds are helping at an individual level.
When you have the chance to watch a combat veteran take the stage and explain to a crowded room how his service animal has changed his life, it is inspiring. It is also saddening when you hear that veteran talk about the impact of the lives lost, taken, and left behind, only to then lean over and hold his animal to steady himself physically and emotionally before returning to speak to the audience. You see, in real time, how that animal is enriching that veteran’s life.
Alignment and Due Diligence
But how does The Patriot Fund know where and to whom to distribute these funds? With so many non-profits out there that claim to work towards helping us lessen the 22-a-day statistic, how do you ensure that these outlets can and will stay dedicated to the same mission?
“We act as a financial and awareness conduit that helps larger operational partners sustain their mission and help to ensure that our smaller operational partners have the resources they need to scale their efforts,” Matthew continues. “Our focus on collaboration and targeted giving allows us to be a reliable partner for these nonprofits, enabling them to expand their impact more effectively.”
Matthew continued into depth about how The Patriot Fund’s board and staff are constantly vetting, on an extended timeline, the organizations that they work with and that desire to work with the Fund to maximize the impact of every dollar that they grant.
“We heavily vet potential partners thoroughly through our 12-point Due Diligence process to ensure that our grant recipients are using funds effectively and benefit the right causes,” Matthew explained. “Operational transparency and clear mission alignment are key factors in choosing who to support. We tend to support nonprofits that best align with our mission and who have a demonstrated track record of success and direct impact on the Veteran community.”
How it feels to make an impact
Listening to Matthew discuss his passion for The Patriot Fund and its impact, it was impossible to avoid asking him about his personal feelings about working with The Patriot Fund, “joining The Patriot Fund has completely changed my life. It is a wonderful opportunity for me to continue my life’s goal to help those in need. Prior to my time at The Patriot Fund, I’ve helped many people through my career in healthcare, but I find the opportunity to give back to our Veterans – the ones who gave so much for our freedoms, comforts, and way of life – to be tremendously gratifying.”
“It’s an honor to witness the pride and love that the veterans at our events display as they stand at attention to salute the flag during the playing of our National Anthem,” Matthew continued with pride. “It is soberingly powerful to observe the Missing Man Table in the presence of Gold Star Families. It is tremendously inspiring to hear the stories of triumph over the struggles our veterans often face upon returning home. It is with utter amazement that I marvel at this community of Veterans, their families, and their supporters. Having never served in our Military, I consider my role at The Patriot Fund as my opportunity to serve our country in some manner now and I’m thankful every day for the beautiful opportunity to serve those in need.”
on The Patriot Fund’s Horizon
Matthew explained that The Patriot Fund has some big plans on the horizon to help veterans in a way that has not been done before. This ‘large-scale’ operation is one of their biggest priorities, and they will begin fundraising next year at their October 2025 gala event, which will mark The Patriot Funds’ 10th anniversary. This big priority on their horizon is a project they are calling the Veterans Transitional Housing Initiative.
The housing initiative will be completely privately funded and will support protective factors that tend to ease the transition to civilian life through a program that combines quality housing, case management, and peer support systems to maximize opportunities for choices and sustainability in civilian life.
There are three overarching goals of the housing initiative. The first goal is to provide safe no-cost housing for veteran residents as they progress toward independent living. The second goal is to provide case management that involves a cooperative approach to assessing, planning, implementing, coordinating, monitoring, and evaluating the various options and services needed to help the veteran resident progress toward self-sufficiency and enduring independence. This will include connecting residents to job training/coaching, education and internship opportunities, relocation support, and financial planning. Last, but not least, the third goal is to provide peer coaching and recovery support if needed.
Trust and Understanding
The Patriot Fund understands a key factor that is important to our service members; we take care of our own. Service members, no matter the branch, no matter how long the service, understand each other and support each other, and we can get right to the source of the problem much quicker than an organization that does not have the inclination of a fellow war-fighter.
The Patriot Fund is an organization built on trusting veterans to help veterans. It boils down to one word, and that word is empowerment. If you can empower someone to make a difference, to make an impact, and to be a force for good, especially a veteran; they will find purpose and they will not quit unless the mission is done. And when it comes to helping our veterans, that mission is far from over.
