Camaraderie Foundation Inc

SEE SCHEDULE O ATTACHEDCAMARADERIE FOUNDATION'S MISSION IS "TO PROVIDE HEALING FOR INVISIBLE WOUNDS OF WAR THROUGH COUNSELING, EMOTIONAL, AND SPIRITUAL SUPPORT FOR ALL BRANCHES OF MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS, VETERANS, AND THEIR FAMILIES."

SEE SCHEDULE O ATTACHEDOUR COMMUNITY AND MILITARY (CAM) COUNSELING PROGRAM DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTES TO THE OVERALL CAMARADERIE FOUNDATION MISSION BY PROVIDING COUNSELING INTERVENTION, EDUCATION, RESOURCES AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH. THIS PROGRAM FACILITATES AN ENGAGED AND RESPONSIVE COMMUNITY EFFORT IN SUPPORT OF MILITARY FAMILIES AND THEIR CRITICAL NEED TO HEAL THE INVISIBLE WOUNDS OF WAR FROM THE MILITRAY ACTIONS FOLLOWING SEPTEMBER 11, 2001. THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 2021 (FY21), THE CAM COUNSELING PROGRAM HAS AWARDED 1,850 COUNSELING SCHOLARSHIPS TO POST 9/11 SERVICE MEMBERS, VETERANS, THEIR FAMIIES AND CAREGIVERS. ADDITIONALLY, CAMARADERIE FOUNDATION AND ITS COMMUNITY PARTNERS HAVE WORKED TOGETHER ON NUMBEROUS OUTREACH EVENTS TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT POST TRAUMATIC STRESS, TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY, AND OTHER INVISIBLE WOUNDS AND/OR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES THAT PRESENT BARRIERS TO THE SUCCESSFUL REINTEGRATION OF POST-9/11 AND OTHER VETERANS. MORE THAN 541 FAMILIES WERE SERVED THROUGH COMMUNITY AND PROGRAM ACTIVITIES OFFERRD TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE ISSUES FACING MILITARY VETERANS AND THEIR FAMLIES. THROUGH THESE EFFORTS AND HAD MORE THAN 1,775 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER TIME DONATED TO SUPPORT THE EFFORTS.IN FY21, WE CONTINUED TO STREAMLINE OUR OPERATIONS AND STRENGTHEN OUR PARTNERSHIPS THEREBY INCREASING OUR PRESENCE THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, CENTRAL FLORIDA, TAMPA BAY, AND THE I4 CORRIDOR. COMBINED, THE CAM COUNSELING PROGRAM AND PEER SUPPORT GROUPS PRODUCED BOTH LONG- AND SHORT-TERM RESULTS FOR OUR COMMUNITIES. FOR THE FAMILIES PARTICIPATING IN THESE PROGRAMS THE RESULTS ARE LONG-TERM. THERE WERE 453 UNDUPLICATED COUNSELING SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED IN 2021. THIS COUNSELING AFFORDS THE PARTICIPANTS TO LEARN BETTER COPING MECHANISMS ENHANCE THEIR COMMUNICATION AND BUILD A STRONGER FAMILY BOND. OF THE 855 TOTAL COUNSELING SCHOLARSHIPS MANAGED THROUGHOUT FY21 (I.E., 453 NEW AND 213 CARRIED OVER FROM FY20 AND FY19), 38% WERE OR MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS OR VETERANS, 24% FOR SPOUSES, 11% FOR COUPLES, 4% FOR FAMILY, AND 23% FOR CHILDREN OF SERVICES MEMBERS OR VETERANS. OUR PEER SUPPORT GROUPS ARE CONTINUALLY REFINED BASED ON PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK AND PROGRAM STAFF AND MEDICAL ADVISORY COUNCIL LEADERSHIP. THROUGH COUNSELOR LED GROUP SUPPORT PROGRAMS, PARTICIPANTS LEARN FROM EACH OTHER AND RECEIVE SOUND, CLINICAL GUIDANCE AS TO HOW BEST SUPPORT THEIR LOVED ONES. MEETINGS OFFER PRACTICAL TOOLS FOR IMMEDIATE USE, AS WELL AS RESOURCES IN EDUCATION TO HELP SERVICE MEMBERS AND FAMILY MEMBERS UNDERSTAND AND MODIFY "TRIGGERS" FOR A HEALTHIER TRANSITION. SESSION EVALUATIONS AND FEEDBACK ARE TRACKED TO CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVE PROGRAM OUTCOMES IN THE AREAS OF ADJUSTING TO PRE AND POST DEPLOYMENT LIFE, WHILE OFFERING COPING SKILLS, EDUCATION AND SUPPORT FOR CAREGIVERS AND FAMILIES AFFECTED BY THE CHALLENGES AND STRESSES OF COMBAT, DEPLOYMENTS AND REINTEGRATION.

SEE SCHEDULE O ATTACHEDMILITARY FAMILY FUN DAYS - THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES FREE FUN-FILLED FAMILY ENGAGEMENT DAYS DESIGNED TO PRODUCE A COMMUNITY WITHIN A COMMUNITY FOR PEER SUPPORT AND POSITIVE INTERACTIONS. THESE ACTIVITIES ARE DESIGNED FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY TO PARTICIPATE IN AND ALLOW POSITIVE INTERACTIONS TO OCCUR BETWEEN FAMILY MEMBERS AND WITH THEIR PEERS. IN FY20, COVID19 RESTRICTIONS LIMITED IN PERSON EVENTS AND SEVERELY IMPACTED THIS PROGRAM. HOWEVER, WE HAD MORE THAN 300 SERVICE MEMBERS, VETERANS, AND FAMILY MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN FAMILY FUN DAYS.

SEE SCHEDULE O ATTACHEDMENTOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM - THROUGH CAMARADERIE'S MENTOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM (MLP), TRANSITIONING POST-9/11 VETERANS AND SPOUSES ARE PAIRED WITH MENTORS WHO HAVE PRIOR MILITARY EXPERIENCE AND HAVE GONE ON TO BECOME STRON LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY. THE PROGRAM OFFERS PROTG VETERANS AND SPOUSES OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD PEER SUPPORT, FRIENDSHIPS, AND GUIDANCE IN ORDER TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THIS PAST YEAR, 28 PROTG'S AND 29 MENTORS WERE SELECTED FOR MLP CLASS VII (ORLANDO) AND MLP CLASS II (TAMPA). DURING THE PROGRAM, BOTH PROTG'S AND MENTORS ATTENDED PROGRAM ORIENTATIONS AND SEVEN EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT WERE FOCUSED ON KEY TOPICS FOR PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS (I.E., STRATEGIC NETWORKING, MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION, SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORK, ENTEREPENEURSHIP AND COMMUNITY INVOLVMENT), AND PARTICIPATED IN FOUR COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS.

MEDICAL ADVISORY COUNCIL - DURING 2021, THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, PROGRAM STAFF AND MEDICAL ADVISORY COUNCIL (COMPOSED OF LEADERS IN THE MENTAL HEALTH, WELLNESS AND SPIRITUAL COMMUNITIES) MET FOUR TIMES TO DISCUSS, OFFER ADVICE AND RECOMMEND POLICY AND PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, AND TO EVALUATE IMPLEMENTATION OF CURRENT AND FUTURE PROGRAMMING EFFORTS. WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE PROGRAM STAFF, THIS COUNCIL FOCUSED ON PROVIDING OUR MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES WITH CONTINUED HELP IN MAINTAINING HEALTHY, MEANIFUL RELATIONSHIPS FREE OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.