Michigan Wounded and Returning Warrior Program
The war on terrorism has affected every city, town, and neighborhood across America. Today, more than ever before, our friends, neighbors, and relatives are being called to war as members of the National Guard and Reserves. Families left at home while their loved ones are deployed are often forced to cope with household repairs and emergencies that can become overwhelming, especially when their family member is away. We at the American Legion have “been there… done that.”
We know the emotional pain, worry, and loneliness caused by wartime deployments. We know the trauma of war firsthand, and the difficulties associated with keeping the home fires burning in our absence. Since 1919, The American Legion has been committed to helping our military, our veterans, and their families. Separating from the military, whether it is after two years or twenty years can lead to a wide range of emotions, not to mention stress and uncertainty about what comes next. The structure of military life is no longer in place and sometimes we find that we miss that structure and those we served with. We are there to help you navigate that process. Among other things, financial difficulties can also occur during that transition period, even years later. The Michigan Wounded and Returning Warrior program is there to provide a wide array of assistance and support when those unforeseen hardships arise.
This extremely vital and successful program serves our wounded and returning warriors and their families. We assist our veterans and military families to help ease the stress and burden of temporary unforeseen hardships by providing emergency financial assistance grants. These one-time grants intended to relieve the hardship by providing a paid in full balance within our program criteria directly to the party owed by the veteran or service member. All debts submitted must be in the veteran’s name or their spouse’s name with a copy of a valid marriage license or legal domestic documentation. Grants are not eligible for credit card bills, legal fees, luxury items, or debts owed to family or friends. We also offer our servicemembers returning from a combat deployment and their families on all expense paid 3-day, 2-night retreat to locations such as “Mackinac Island and our own Wilwin at Cygnet Cove property located in Custer MI. Veterans who receive a clinical recommendation from a therapist are also eligible for these retreats with their family. We provide funding for veteran retreats, and PTS, (Post Traumatic Stress), workshops held at our Wilwin facility by groups promoting Veteran Wellness or alternative PTS therapy modalities. These retreats have been extremely successful and have incorporated new and innovative therapy techniques such as equine therapy and eco-therapy, yoga therapy, adaptive sports therapy, and even humanitarian clowning. We also offer community-based presentations on the effects of PTS and Combat Trauma as experienced through the thoughts and perceptions of a returning service member throughout the year following their homecoming. This program also assists with disability related home modifications, guidance and assistance with VA service-connected disability claims and access to a vast network of service providers. All Michigan Wounded and Returning Warrior program donations and grants are processed by the Michigan American Legion Foundation which provides donors with a 100% tax deduction to our donors. As volunteer veterans ourselves, 100% of your donation goes right back out to the families we assist. Together with your support and generosity, we can continue to provide the best possible support and assistance to our Michigan veterans and military families.
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