Our attention is drawn to an underutilization in 2024 of our Veterans Outreach Program administered by Wilmington's Coastal Horizons. This vital resource is designed to provide mental health wellness support to veterans and their immediate family members who do not wish to receive support from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Despite the VA's efforts and those of other organizations like ours, the troubling veteran suicide crisis continues unabated and, according to some researchers, is getting worse. Now, it becomes critical that we raise awareness of how the stigma our society places on mental health marginalizes those with mental health issues and keeps them from asking for the help they need. This will be the focus of our attention as we address local organizations. We will also identify and solicit the support of those organizations with the ability and resources to combat the stigma surrounding mental health. We believe that mental health education is the key to eliminating the debilitating mental health stigma. Our goal is to identify effective and affordable mental health training, to partner with those who offer it, and to make the training available throughout our communities.

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As we have in previous years, we will take advantage of every opportunity to improve our communities' understanding of the veteran suicide crisis by addressing local organizations and speaking at local veteran related events. We will focus on bringing attention to those veterans who have made the decision to "go it alone." It is this group of veterans who drive the terrible statistics associated with the veteran suicide crisis, yet there are few organizations who pursue programs to connect with them. When engaging veteran related organizations, we will present a suggested program that will create a new tribe for separating veterans as well as a "buddy" system to help with their transition to civilian live. 

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​As the Save A Vet Now Veterans Outreach Program grows, we find it takes much more than the individual donations we receive to keep the Program adequately funded. This lack of adequate funding places a burden on our partner, Coastal Horizons, as they administer the Program for us. In an effort to rectify this situation, Save A Vet Now will continue to solicit corporate sponsors for the Veterans Outreach Program.