Celebrating The National Air Force Birthday

In 1947 President Truman signed the National Security Act which added a new branch to our military and along with it the creation of the US Air Force as an independent service, equal to the US Army and US Navy. The official birthday of the US Air Force is 18 September 1947.

We proudly serve Air Force veterans and veterans from all branches of the military to help them achieve their best quality of life. We want to celebrate one HHV Airforce patron in particular, Warren Shane. Warren can vouch for the therapeutic benefit of our craft kits. Warren was an Air Force pilot who had suffered an injury to his neck which resulted in chronic headaches. What the craft kits provide for Warren is relaxation. He takes home about two to three kits a week to fill the time that he otherwise would have been using to sit around. Over the past two years, he has developed connections through craft classes that surround him with an overwhelming feeling of comradery. His favorite craft, in particular, is the hanging flower basket, this is because of the versatility of the basket, he says "you can use the basket for so many things, and in so many different ways."

The unique aspect about our efforts to heal veterans is that our craft Kits come at no cost to the vet. Generous donations provide the funds needed to offer these products to America's veterans and military servicemen and women. If you cannot attend craft classes regularly, you can create connections via Pen-Pal relationships with our gracious donors. Often bonds are formed when a donor receives a "thank you" postcard from a veteran who was given a therapeutic arts & crafts kit in their name. HEAL VETS has been told time and again how appreciative both donors and veterans are for giving them this wonderfully personalized line of communication.

Behind the scenes, at the National Headquarters where the craft kits are made and shipped out for assembly, we have a magnitude of dedicated volunteers that come in to help us fulfill our mission. In addition to our wooden hanging baskets, Help Heal Veterans produces several different types of wood kits. Each kit starts with a slab of wood, which is then cut by our employees to create each part for assembly by the veteran who receives it. (see pictures below.)

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer or learning how you can give back, please visit our website. If you do not see an HHV location in your city, we would be glad to assist you in finding other ways you can give back!