'Together for Our Warriors' Seeks to Bridge Gaps in Veteran Services
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — For many veterans, finding resources can be a struggle because of fragmentation among veteran services.
New nonprofit Together for Our Warriors Inc. is trying to streamline that search by creating a central source for information about the services available to them.
Veterans can find themselves struggling to navigate available services resulting in some deferring help or falling through the cracks of the system that provides a broad range of services that are stretched thin, said Director Kyle Kuffel.
Veteran resources are available throughout the region, but information about those services is often fragmented among government agencies, nonprofits and other organizations that do not always communicate with one another, said Bernard Tremblay, the nonprofit's board and operations president.
The nonprofit was incorporated in March, and its 501(c)(3) status was officially approved on May 12, Kuffel said.
They eventually hope to produce a printed resource guide that can be distributed at veteran events and resource fairs, Tremblay said.
As the organization continues to expand, Kuffel said he hopes it can eventually hire its own Veteran Services Officer accredited by the state and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
The position would help veterans navigate and file claims while easing pressure on an already overburdened system, he said.
Currently, the organization has very few members, being run by both Kuffel, Tremblay, and their family members — Tremblay's wife and daughter Selenna Tremblay and Marlaina Donoghue, respectively, and Kuffel's wife, Danielle Kuffel.
Additionally, Nate Johnson of AiSync Services has set up and hosts the organization's website.
The nonprofit grew out of the New Moon Lodge Veteran Resource Fair and Dinner, which was initially organized by members of the Masonic lodge, Tremblay said, who is also the Lodge master.
This year, Together for Our Warriors Inc has set the annual event for Saturday, Nov. 14, from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Pittsfield Masonic Building.
"Our focus this year is going to be on mental health. Suicide prevention, therapy, substance abuse, things like that is going to be the big focus this year.
Mental health conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, can contribute to other challenges, including substance use and financial hardship, which can put veterans at greater risk of homelessness, Kuffel said.
"So, getting your head right is a huge benefit for veterans [and] for everybody, really. So, that's our main focus. We're really looking forward to hopefully making a sizable impact with that," he said.
As the event gained traction, non-Masons and women became involved in its planning, broadening the effort beyond the lodge.
The first two events relied heavily on personal contributions from organizers and financial support from New Moon Lodge, he said.
Tremblay said they soon realized the initiative had outgrown New Moon Lodge and that expanding its impact would require becoming an independent organization, opening the door to more funding opportunities.
However, the New Moon Lodge is still one of the non-profits sponsors, Tremblay said.
Between website hosting, insurance and other basic operating expenses, organizers estimate it will cost about $10,000 annually to keep the nonprofit running and continue its annual dinner.
The veteran resource fair and dinner alone has cost as much as $6,500 to put on in previous years. So far this year, the nonprofit has raised $1,800 in outside donations.
In the long term, the nonprofit hopes to refine its veterans dinner and resource fair into a repeatable model that can be expanded beyond Pittsfield to other communities across Berkshire County and the state, Tremblay said.
Tremblay mentioned an idea of having additional events, including a more casual summer food-truck-style gathering that brings multiple veteran resources together in one place.
To obtain these goals, the organization is working to build a stronger volunteer base, especially people with nonprofit experience in areas like grant writing, administration, and event support.
Since its inception, Tremblay and Kuffel have gone to numerous tabling events to not only spread the word about the nonprofit but also network with resources in the area.
Tags: veterans,
