We had the pleasure of working with an Army veteran family in South Carolina. This family includes the veteran, his spouse and caregiver, and their minor son. The veteran served in the Army and as a result of two deployments and exposure to several IEDs, he has been diagnosed with severe PTSD and …
Our veteran families experience tremendous challenges when they are presented with catastrophic injuries that fundamentally alter their life. The Quality of Life Foundation is able to assist the caregivers and families of these severely injured, ill, and wounded veterans through an elaborate network of supporters, donors, corporate and individual partners. In fact, did you know …
The Quality of Life Foundation was contacted by a mother and caregiver who was seeking assistance for her daughter, a 23-year Navy veteran who retired from service following her diagnosis of cancer and other serious medical conditions. The mother and caregiver moved from Maryland to California in 2011 to assist her daughter with daily …
Education is one’s bedrock. Learning the 3 R’s are critical for a successful future. As we approach this time of year, many of us will fulfill school supply lists that have grown tremendously over the years. As teachers struggle to maintain the basic necessities in their classrooms, families are called upon to provide even more …
Living with Post Traumatic Stress: An Update on Issues and Resources The Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Family Readiness Directorate will join forces with representatives from the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Department of Defense (DoD), Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard’s office, Senator Maize Hirono’s office among others to host a …
Where are you located? I am located in Albion, MI. Where did your veteran receive the majority of his/her medical treatment? The majority of my husband’s treatment has been post-service, here in Ann Arbor & Jackson VA hospital clinics. Which branch of service is your family affiliated with?. We were both enlisted in the U.S. …
Once again, Renovating Hope offered Quality of Life Foundation a grant for caregivers to use specifically on themselves. Some caregivers chose to receive haircuts, manicures or massages, while others opted for tech gear, art classes or health care. Our thanks to Renovating Hope for giving these wounded veteran family caregivers a special treat and for their …
We would like to take this opportunity to wish a warm farewell to our Executive Director, Rachel O’Hern. All of us at Quality of Life Foundation – staff and board members – are very grateful for her two years of outstanding leadership. She will continue her work with Quality of Life as a member of the Board of Directors. …
Another warm farewell to our intern, Kelsey! Kelsey has been at the Quality of Life Foundation for the past two summers helping with social media, developing the newsletter, research and communications. Kelsey is a rising senior and member of the field hockey team at Washington and Jefferson College where she is studying Communications with an …
Dear Quality of Life Staff, Volunteers and Donors, I have been a caregiver to my husband who is an amputee, with many other residuals of his combat service including PTSD, TBI, and many other health issues over the last seven years. We have four daughters from ages 2-14 and live in NC. It wasn’t until …
Believe it or not, the 2016-2017 school year is rapidly approaching, but no need to stress, Operation Homefront’s Back-to-School Brigade is again providing school supplies for active duty, E1-E6 or all ranks of post 9/11 wounded, ill or injured for the upcoming school year. Below is a link where you can find the closest Back-to-School Brigade location …
On June 27-28, Quality of Life Foundation Executive Director, Rachel O’Hern, attended the Points of Light Conference on Volunteering and Service in Detroit, Michigan, sponsored by the Bob Woodruff Foundation. The two day event featured presentations on the future of volunteers and ways to increase the amount of volunteers and their impact on those around …
Points of Life Conference on Volunteering and Service Read More »
Mold…Invisible, Dangerous, and Non-replaceable The Quality of Life Foundation recently teamed up with Furnishing Hope to coordinate a “Home in a Box” for a family of 8 from Chesterton, Indiana. The family was in need of all new furniture and linens due to mold challenges in their home. Because the family is …
Congratulations to our June Super FSC, Sharon LaVier! Sharon recently worked with an Army veteran family of four struggling to manage the many demands of caregiving. Sharon was able to coordinate camping equipment for some family recreation time, a deep home clean to help the caregiver hit ‘reset,’ home organization supplies to allow the …
Where are you located? I am the mother, full-time caregiver and 14-year health care advocate for a 100% service-connected Navy veteran son. Ken and I reside in Jayess, Mississippi, a tranquil, rural area of Walthall County, where regardless of real or perceived adversities, we awaken each morning to the songs of joy espoused by …
From a Wounded Veteran Caregiver “Quality Of Life was not just a program, it was a group of people that empathized with our situation and were there every time we needed support. There were times where we just needed someone to talk to and there was always someone there to listen. Most importantly their commitment, …
Congrats to Super FSC, Traci Via! Traci recently worked with an Army veteran family struggling to keep up with the many demands that can come from caregiving. After identifying specific needs and researching potential collaborating organizations, Traci was able to coordinate: * A new desktop computer from Tech for Troops * A new tempurpedic …
Last week, our Executive Director Rachel O’Hern was honored to participate in The Invictus Games Symposium on Invisible Wounds presented by the George W. Bush Institute with a panel of subject matter experts and share her thoughts on the role of nonprofit organizations. See a brief summary of her thoughts below: Regarding the role …
My son James and I (his caregiver and mother) live in Grenada, MS Jim as we call him returned home in 2006 from his fifth deployment to Iraq. He had some injuries although physically not life threatening for which we were thankful but as time went on the PTSD began to present itself in many …
With the support from the William H. Donner Foundation and the continuous hard work from our Family Support Coordinators (FSC), the Quality of Life Foundation has been able to help wounded veteran caregivers and their families meet their needs, whether that is through goods or services.
Where are you located? Waynesville, MO Where did your veteran receive the majority of their medical treatment? My veteran was not catastrophically injured while in theater, but rather years of deployments eventually took their toll on him physically and mentally. The majority of his conditions arose a few years after returning from his last deployment. …
Help Our Wounded has been partnering to help Quality of Life Foundation families for quite a while. Rosie Babin of Help Our Wounded, a wounded warrior caregiver herself, knows the ins and outs of the needs of the wounded, ill, and injured community and strives to help Quality of Life Foundation meet the needs of …
Over 1,200 veterans who have sustained injuries that may prevent them from having children without medical assistance are not currently able to access fertility procedures such as in vitro fertilization from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This benefit is only available through the Department of Defense to active duty families. We at Quality of Life Foundation, together with a coalition of fellow …
With the generous support of the Bob Woodruff Foundation, the Quality of Life Foundation was able to extend a pilot meal delivery service program to each of the 30 new wounded veteran families enrolled in our Wounded Veteran Family Care Program. Twenty-six (26) families elected to participate, with two of those electing to discontinue the …
Recently we have had the opportunity to get to know the family of an Army veteran in Florida. This veteran was experiencing a significant amount of back pain and had been sleeping on the floor because the old mattress was not providing adequate support. As a result, the caregiver and veteran had not been able …
Fatigue; caregivers too easily find themselves constantly feeling tired and run down from the sheer volume of their many roles and responsibilities. Anxiety; caregivers are constantly worrying about tomorrow, next week, and next month. The kids, the bills, the veteran. The ‘what if’ list is never ending. Social withdrawal; oftentimes caregivers …
5 Signs of Caregiver Stress… and How Quality of Life Foundation Helps Make a Difference Read More »
Quality of Life Foundation recently attended a launch event for an exciting new program – Operation Family Caregiver presented by Blue Star Families! Blue Star Families is a national, nonprofit network of military families from all ranks and services, including guard and reserve, dedicated to supporting, connecting, and empowering military families. Blue Star Families’ Caregivers …
We recently had the honor of working with a family of five; an Army veteran, his (also Army veteran) spouse and caregiver, and their 3 minor children. The caregiver originally reached out to us for assistance finding activities for her three young children. She felt that they have had to sacrifice so much because of …
Congratulations to February’s Super Family Support Coordinator, Andrea Sawyer! Andrea has recently worked with a United States Air Force veteran family with three minor children who came to us struggling to maintain their lawn and concerned about resulting potential HOA fines. Both the veteran and his wife deal with physical injuries that prevent them from …
Since 2013, The Quality of Life Foundation has teamed with Our Military Kids to help children of wounded veteran families. Our Military Kids provides support and recognition to military children by providing grants to pay for athletic, fine arts and tutoring. Thus far, they have provided nearly $22 million in grants and have never turned …
We currently live in Cary NC. My husband received a majority of his medical treatment and recovery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. My husband was in the army for 7 years before he was medically retired due to injuries he sustained in Iraq. I became his primary caregiver as soon as he was medevac’d …
This month we would like to recognize the hard work of Angie Pearce, Quality of Life Foundation Family Support Coordinator. Angie works tirelessly to find or create solutions to each and every challenge her families report. The following is from one of the caregivers that Angie has worked with. “It’s taken me several years to …
WVFCP Families Say Thank You for the Holiday Blessing Again this year, we have teamed with our friends at Azalea Charities to extend our annual “Holiday Blessing” to the children of the families currently enrolled in our Wounded Veteran Family Care Program to relieve some of the stress that can come with the holiday season. Please …
We enlisted the help of the children of families enrolled in our Wounded Veteran Family Care Program to create one of a kind holiday cards!
My family is forever grateful for you, The Quality of Life Foundation, Paul with Renovating Hope, as well as to the countless number of donors. Sharon you have been without question a huge help to me, simply by listening and offering advice or just a listening ear. It has always been a challenge for me …
Hi everyone! My name is Rose and I’m here to tell you my story about how the Quality of Life Foundation has helped me and my family. Currently we live in a small town of Sebring, FL. My husband’s family is from here which is why we moved down here. I met my husband Patrick …
Some of you may recall a story we shared earlier this year of a generous anonymous donor who wanted to recognize the tremendous personal sacrifice of caregivers of military veterans. The same individual has recently reached out and offered the generous opportunity again to caregivers currently enrolled in Quality of Life Foundation’s Wounded Veteran Family Care Program, and …
We are excited to welcome Keisha Walker to the team as a long-term intern. She is a prior-service military veteran, and currently-serving military spouse. She was raised as a military, transient child, living in multiple locations. Keisha is pursuing a Master’s in Social Work at the University of Southern California, with a concentration in Families …
Where are you located? Goodyear, Arizona Where did your veteran receive the majority of their medical treatment? My husband receives his care from Surprise VA clinic along with the Phoenix Carl T. Hayden VA facility. Which branch of service is your family affiliated with? My husband is a Purple Heart recipient and served in the …
With a generous grant from the William H. Donner Foundation, we improved the quality of life for 7 veterans, 7 caregivers and 15 children – for a total of 29 lives impacted. Our Family Support Coordinators resolved 28 challenges ranging from home repair and furnishings to activities for children. FSCs met these needs by providing …
Where are you located? McMinnville, TN Where did your veteran receive the majority of their medical treatment? Walter Reed Which branch of service is your family affiliated with? Army Please share how you came to be a caregiver. My husband stepped on a 40lb IED on January 22, 2011 in Afghanistan. He instantly lost both …
Over the course of 2014 and 2015, the Quality of Life Foundation has teamed with The Home Depot Foundation to help six wounded veterans and their families. The Home Depot Foundation provides financial assistance in the form of grants to military families and veterans in order to improve their homes and lives. The grants can …
Research tells us that caregivers are more likely to have negative health outcomes than their non-caregiving peers. But what does that mean exactly? The answer, like each injury and resulting caregiving situation, is going to be different from family to family. For some it’s hypertension. Others, depression. Still others, dental health needs are most …
Diet Coke, Chocolate Cake and their Inevitable Kettlebell Consequences Read More »
We recently had the opportunity to assist the parent/caregivers of two wounded veterans travel to visit each other. Shirley shared the story of how she and Nancy became friends and we want to share this glimpse into the lives of two caregiving families who have provided mutual support through the years. “We would like to say thanks to everyone who …
Congratulations to our July FSC of the month – Traci Via, who recently rejoined Quality of Life Foundation after taking a leave of absence. We are thrilled to have Traci back on the team! Traci has been working with a Marine veteran and his family, who found the Quality of Life Foundation when searching for …
A fresh start, a new beginning, an investment. As a caregiver we invest so much of ourselves into our loved ones that we often forget to invest in our own needs, health, hopes and dreams. There are trying times with little respite where we feel like we are living one minute, one day, one …
Today we celebrate the beginning of a new nation. 239 years ago, 1337 words and 56 signatures changed the world. From coast to coast, small towns and big cities alike will host parades and pyrotechnics to mark the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The one constant across all the backyard barbeques and park picnics? …
Last week I was invited to attend and participate in a summit co-sponsored by the Bush Institute and the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring our Heroes program as part of a military spouse and caregiver employment panel. I was honored to share my opinions and experience with the summit attendees, and thought I would …
Rachel O'Hern Serves on Mission Transition Summit Panel Read More »
We are excited to welcome Kelsey Bowman to the team as a summer intern. She was born and raised in Springfield, VA and is a rising junior at Washington and Jefferson College. Kelsey is majoring in Communication Arts with an emphasis in Public Relations, minoring in Business Administration and also plays field hockey for her college, …
Where are you located? We are located in Ave Maria, Florida. We just moved from Naples, Florida. It was my husband who wanted to move to an area that was more quiet and with less activity. Nosotros estamos localizados en Ave María Florida. Nosotros nos acabamos de mudar de Naples Florida. Fue mi esposo quien …