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 Service Work and Not-for-Profits
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Service Work and Not-for-Profits National Veterans Foundation www.nvf.org or 888-777-4443 (help line) Among the many services it provides, NVF is developing pilot projects using mind-body practices to help veterans and their families recover from the emotional scars of their war experiences. The mission of the NVF: To Serve the crisis management, information and referral needs of all U.S. Veterans and their families through: Management and operation of the nation’s only toll-free helpline for all veterans and their families. Public awareness programs that shine a consistent spotlight on the needs of America’s veterans. Outreach services that provide veterans and families in need with food, clothing, transportation, employment, and other essential resources. The founder of the National Veterans Foundation, Floyd ‘Shad’ Meshad has been working with Veterans since 1970. Meshad was a Medical Service Officer during the Vietnam War, where he counseled soldiers in the field who were suffering from a psychological and emotional problems resulting from their experiences in combat. In 1985, Shad founded The Vietnam Veterans Aid Foundation (VVAF), a non-profit, 501- c (3) human service organization to help veterans and families. The VVAF established the first toll-free helpline in 1987 offering nationwide benefits information, resource referral, and crisis counseling. In 1992, the VVAF formally became the National Veterans Foundation. Staffed by veterans (from Vietnam, the Cold War, Desert Storm, Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan) who are specially trained in the delivery of crisis information and referral services, as well as licensed volunteer counselors to whom all crisis calls are routed, the NVF has served more than 275,000 veterans in need of medical treatment, substance abuse or PTSD Counseling, VA benefits advocacy, food, shelter, employment training, legal aid, or suicide intervention. NVF has provided financial assistance, training, and donations of food, clothing, and other goods to other non-profits serving the veterans’ including New Directions (CA), The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation (NJ), LA County Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (CA), Desert Storm Justice Foundation (OK), Point Man of Northern California (CA), Veterans Coalition of the Hudson Valley (NY), Westside Stand Down (CA), Stamford Homeless Project (CT), US VETS (CA), and Swords to Plowshares (CA), among many others. The U.S. Government sought Shad Meshad’s expertise in PTSD to provide training to counselors at Ground Zero after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The NVF is committed to developing the most effective means to help those who have served our country and their families. The NVF is open to all who seek emotional support and other assistance. Serving Those Who Serve Serving Those Who Serve (STWS) is a non-profit group providing services to people who are still suffering from physical and emotional illnesses related to the NY September 11th World Trade Center Attacks. The 9/11 Community includes First Responders, Ground Zero workers, WTC workers, and area residents. STWS sponsors our new Breath~Body~Mind© program for relief of physical and emotional distress as well as for personal development. Workshops are open to the public and a portion of the profits are donated to STWS. In addition to positive feedback from participants, our preliminary research data indicate significant improvement in measures of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress symptoms (Martin Katzman and Monica Vermani, in process). See www.stws.org. STWS also provides Drs. Pankaj and Smita Naram’s Ayurvedic herbs (at cost) to help detoxify people exposed to chemical fumes from the WTC attacks and from working at Ground Zero. James J. Dahl, Ph.D., Research Director, Phoenix House Foundation, and Dr. Katherine Falk reported on a web-based survey of 50 people affected by the WTC attacks who were treated with these Ayurvedic herbs. All 50 respondents reported significant improvements in long standing, intractable respiratory symptoms, fatigue, and depression that had not responded to standard treatments. This article appeared in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. Jan/Feb 2008; 14(1):24-48. Correspondence: jdahl@phoenixhouse.org Breath~Body~Mind© Courses with Dr. Richard Brown Dr. Brown teaches a fusion of modern and ancient practices to rapidly balance the stress response system, relieve stress and anxiety, and enhance physical and mental health. Training includes QiGong breathing and movement, Christian monk breath moving techniques, Coherent Breathing, and Open Focus Meditation. Proceeds from these courses will be used to benefit the 9/11 Community.Follow-Up Mind-Body Practices
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© Copyright to RP Brown and PL Gerbarg 2012
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