Our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines face the kind of stress that most Americans will never know. That stress takes its toll on more than just the military members themselves but also their families. The strain on the family is increased when a family member is wounded or killed while serving.”

This is the opening to an application from the Wounded Warriors Family Support organization.

It hits pretty hard, right? It’s not that what’s written is so hard to believe. It’s that it’s not hard to believe at all.

When we talk about the military, service and sacrifice come up a lot. They go hand-in-hand. Join the armed forces, and you will face sacrifices. Maybe you’ll live hundreds of miles away from your extended family. Maybe you’ll miss the birth of a child, subsequent birthdays, or major holidays. Maybe you’ll deploy to a foreign country. Sleep on the ground. Eat MREs.

Maybe you’ll lose a friend. A limb. Your own life. 

Good, bad, or indifferent, the sacrifices will come with the service. And still…they will serve.

What we might not think of enough, though, are the sacrifices that come after the service is done. And this is where Wounded Warriors Family Support (WWFS) comes into play.

WWFS is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to support the families of those wounded, injured, or killed during combat operations. They aid Veterans and their families in healing the wounds that medicine cannot.

“The families of our casualties suffer in many ways — emotionally, physically, and psychologically,” they shared. “Our organization supports wounded Veterans and their families, even after their physical needs are met, to help them heal, recover, and reconnect. We work to provide services and resources to combat-wounded Veterans and their families that supplement those offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs and other agencies.”

WWFS does that in many ways, including assisting with meals, housekeeping, medical travel grants, and In-Home Care services, especially when our nation’s Veterans are experiencing an illness, medical emergency, or accident. They fill the gaps.

What many people might not realize is that Veterans are often on fixed disability income, and due to rising costs, anything extra isn’t affordable. Here at Chive Charities, we’ve met so many individual Veteran recipients who found us because they couldn’t get support elsewhere. Sometimes, that’s for significant things like service dogs, adaptive equipment, home modifications, or ADA vehicles.

But sometimes, it’s for simple wound care items or medical supplies.

What WWFS often encounters are Veterans who receive care from their parents. 

“Many of our combat-wounded veterans with spinal cord and moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries require daily assistance or depend entirely on caregivers,” they shared.

“As parents age, it becomes more challenging to assist the Veteran with care, primarily when an illness, injury, or medical emergency arises.”

They saw enough need that they created the Respite Care Program to aid families with their diverse needs. They want to support families in their day-to-day lives by removing some burdens they may face when put in the role of full-time caregivers, working with families on a case-by-case basis to ensure they get the exact help they need.

Take the Gressock family, for example, in their own words:

We can’t thank Wounded Warriors Family Support enough. Our family has been through a lot. My husband, John, was hurt in Afghanistan. He received two Purple Hearts that tour. The rehabilitation, both physical and mental, was tough and long. Severe PTSD has been a part of our lives for a very long time, and of course, still creeps in here and there. 

In the spring of this year, he had a medical emergency that almost cost him his life. The recovery was 5 months long. We both felt tossed back into trauma. Him, with his life and the mental battle he was facing, and me, going right back into caretaker mode especially since he was unable to lift anything over 10 lbs. This time around, however, we have 4 kids in the fight with us, and one is a baby. As anyone can imagine, this year took a hard toll on our family. 

In steps Wounded Warriors Family Support. We were unbelievably blown away by the support we felt. Not only were we sent grocery money to help with meals while I was taking care of John, but a cleaning service was also provided to alleviate some of the burden I felt. This really got us through the recovery from his last surgery. 

Next, we were given a trip to Orlando. This was the best most healing time we could have ever asked for as a family. It re-centered us as a family and we are so grateful for this opportunity. We have seen God work in some pretty amazing ways in our lives, and this is pretty close to the top. 

Thank you so much to everyone that was a part of this journey with us. We are forever grateful.

With the help of a $10,000 grant from Chive Charities (made possible through your selfless donations), WWFS can significantly impact the lives of seven more Veterans and their families.

For those who give so much in service to our country – including the family members who make sacrifices right along with them – it’s an honor to support them in any way possible.

To our active-duty service members, Veterans, military families, and nonprofit organizations like WWFS that support them, we thank you. And to the donors and proud patriots who generously contribute, we owe you immeasurable gratitude. 

When America goes to war, our families go to war.

Thank you for your service. Thank you for your sacrifice. We’ve got you. DONATE HERE.