MILITARY ~ Honor, Duty, Country

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Wounded Warrior Project Veterans Connect with Community at Vets 4 Vets Gathering
PR NEWSWIRE 9:06 AM ET 2/24/2017
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. , Feb. 24, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) veterans recently joined roughly 200 of their brothers and sisters in arms at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, where they networked with several veterans service organizations at the quarterly Vets 4 Vets event. Such a large gathering of peers let WWP warriors experience what is possible at events that get them out of the house and socially connected with fellow service members.


Warriors listened to guest speakers from Canine Companions for Independence®, United Service Organizations, Dignity Memorial®, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8255, and more. Other organizations such as Mission 22, Reboot Combat Recovery, and Florida Fallen Heroes set up informational tables. The wide selection of beneficial resources made the event particularly attractive to Navy veteran April Imani Smith.

"I am always looking for ways to connect with other veterans and organizations geared toward helping service members," she said. "Sometimes I'm nervous about meeting new people, but it didn't take long for me to get to know some other warriors. So it was nervousness and excitement all in one."

These connection activities support the recovery needs of warriors by reintroducing them to the bonds experienced during military service. In a WWP survey of the injured warriors it serves, more than half of survey respondents (51.7 percent) talked with fellow veterans to address their mental health issues.

Warriors learned about helpful programs and services provided by WWP and other veterans service organizations. WWP assists injured veterans with mental health, physical health and wellness, career and benefits counseling, and connecting with other warriors and their communities. Generous donors make it possible for wounded warriors to take part in outreach activities and benefit from program resources at no cost to them.

"Wounded Warrior Project is always very welcoming and accommodating to me and my family," April said. "It has opened me up to opportunities I would not have experienced on my own."

To learn more about how WWP's programs and services connect, serve, and empower wounded warriors, visit http://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/.

About Wounded Warrior Project
Wounded Warrior Project ® (WWP) connects, serves, and empowers wounded warriors. Read more at http://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/about-us.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wounded-warrior-project-veterans-connect-with-community-at-vets-4-vets-gathering-300413205.html

SOURCE Wounded Warrior Project