Our Mission to Aid Veterans with Housing, Homelessness and More
Tee It Up for the Troops supports several programs for veterans who have experienced homelessness and need additional support maintaining housing including transitional and comfort housing while getting treatment. In 2018, Tee It Up for the Troops granted over a quarter of a million dollars to veteran housing organizations. Your donations to Tee It Up for the Troops are making a difference not only in Housing & Homelessness for Veterans, but also in our other targeted pillars of need including, Suicide Awareness and Prevention, Treatment of PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injuries, Employment, Golf & Sports Rehabilitation, and Family and Caregiver Support.
In a single night in January 2018, there were nearly 38,000 veterans experiencing homelessness and staying in shelters across our nation, according to a recent Department of Housing and Urban Development report. States with the highest unsheltered veterans are California, Mississippi, Oregon, Hawaii, and Washington. Research shows that lack of stable housing for veterans presents a significant challenge in obtaining gainful employment and eliminating the barriers and issues that are at the root of homelessness.
The Central Illinois Tee It Up for the Troops event (featured in this issue), allocates part of their proceeds to benefit three local veteran housing programs: General Wayne A. Downing Home for Veterans which provides permanent housing for homeless U.S. Military veterans with an honorable discharge and a diagnosed disability; South Side Office of Concern Veterans Haven, a local shelter for homeless veterans; and Fuller Center dedicated to helping military veteran homeowners make repairs on their homes.
Fisher House Foundation, which provides comfort homes throughout the U.S. where military & veterans families can stay free of charge while a loved one is in the hospital, and Warrior Foundation Freedom Station in San Diego, CA, providing transitional housing designed to assist veterans and their families during both recovery and transition processes, are both major beneficiaries of funds raised at golf events nationwide by Tee It Up for the Troops.
Warrior Foundation Freedom Station is the brainchild of Sandy Lehmkuhler, a Navy wife. While volunteering at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego, Sandy discovered the difficulties encountered by ill and wounded warriors, making the transition back to civilian life. In 2011, her foundation proudly opened Freedom Station, a unique housing facility and recovery support center for warriors transitioning out of the military.
There are far too many homeless who are veterans…and there’s one thing we should all agree on – you should not be a hero in the Gulf War or any other conflict and be homeless in America. When you support Tee It Up for the Troops by participating in one of our events or making a donation to veterans we serve, you are helping our ill, injured, and medically retired warriors with dignified housing support. These courageous men and women have performed selfless acts to ensure our freedom. Help us to help them by making a contribution at: www.teeitupforthetroops.org/donate-tee-troops/
