#BelieveinHeroes #WWPBIH
With so many of our service men and women returning from war injured, it makes sense that we, as a country, need to do more to support them when they come home. The Wounded Warrior Project Believe in Heroes Campaign has been raising money since 2010 to help these brave men and women on their road to recovery.
This year marks the sixth annual Wounded Warrior Project Believe in Heroes Campaign and it it launching with the support of 45 brands and 170 retailers. Believe in Heroes is one of the largest national cause marketing campaigns in grocery stores across the United States, bringing together brands, retailers, and consumers annually in support of injured service members, families, and caregivers.
From coast to coast, Americans are united in the respect and thankfulness they have for the brave individuals who have served to protect our country,” stated Robert Hill, President and CEO, Acosta. “We’re excited to embark on this sixth year of the Believe in Heroes campaign, and join in the mission to give back to our veterans when they need it most. We, along with our partners at Wounded Warrior Project, would like to thank all of the supporting consumers, brands and retailers helping to raise awareness for this cause.”
Established in 2010, Believe in Heroes has grown substantially over the past six years. Beginning humbly with the support of more than a dozen well-known brands and one regional grocery retailer, the campaign has increased to include more than 45 brands and 170 retailers and has raised over $22 million since 2010. The funds raised have helped enable the expansion of critical Wounded Warrior Project programs that now directly serve more than 77,000 injured service members and over 13,000 caregivers and families. For more information, visit believe.org
Meet one of the men and women whose lives have been helped by the Wounded Warrior Project®.
Bill Jones
Chief Warrant Officer 2, U.S. Army, Wounded Warrior Project® Alumnus
From an outsider’s perspective, Bill Jones has an inspiring success story. From his own perspective, Bill simply sees himself standing on the shoulders of those who have helped him over the years.
Now he wants to help others as much as he can.
“Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) impacted my life exponentially,” says Bill. “I went from being very unstable to being able to overcome the triggers of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and feeling empowered for a better life.”
Bill served in Iraq and Afghanistan and like many of his fellow service members, he never had time to process the realities of war.
“You go from one mission to the next, where the next traumatic event happens, and then to the next event, on and on,” says Bill. “You can’t deal with it, so you don’t. You bury it. When you eventually come home, it all surfaces.”
Bill says WWP Project Odyssey® helped him transform from hopeless to hopeful. The team-building approach of this outdoor, rehabilitative retreat gave him the confidence he needed to heal and motivated him to get involved with the WWP Warriors to Work® program.
Through Warriors to Work, Bill was chosen from thousands of applicants as a camera operator with the Def Leppard and KISS tour. Traveling with the band was a dream come true for Bill, but there were unexpected challenges and benefits to being in a concert environment.
“It forced me to deal head-on with my fears of crowds and loud noises,” says Bill. “The prolonged exposure helped me re-train my mind to understand they were not a threat. None of this would have been possible without the Warriors to Work program.”
Bill is quick to point out the positive effects of his recovery extend to his family and beyond.
“As I improved in my healing process, my family and I have grown closer together. The support has been incredible. Through Wounded Warrior Project, no warrior should ever have to give up.”
Today, Bill is dedicated to helping other warriors who are living with PTSD. He serves as a WWP Peer Mentor and manages a personal Facebook page called “The Prisoner Within – A Look into PTSD.”
“I want to dispel the myths associated with PTSD. Healing comes in many ways for a PTSD survivor, but recovery doesn’t mean that everything is all better. The key is to get help. Stand on the shoulders of those who care, and you’ll be strong enough to help someone else. Regardless of what side of PTSD you stand on, you are not alone.”
To date, 77,000 service members have been physically injured. These veterans, their families, and caregivers need our help. Now through 11/20, Support the Brands that Support our Heroes as part of the Believe in Heroes®campaign. Learn more about Believe in Heroes.
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