A nonprofit that sends crafting kits to veterans to help with their mental wellbeing has sent more than 90,000 of the kits in recent months and developed a special kit to help veterans make their own face coverings, reported the Clayton News-Daily in Jonesboro, Ga.
Help Heal Veterans (Heal Vets) has been supporting veterans since the Vietnam War. It distributes kits for crafts such as leatherwork, models, woodwork, jewelry, paint-by-numbers, needlecrafts, poster art and scrapbooks.
“Our goal is to give our veterans what they need to heal during this time of enforced isolation,” said Joe McClain, a retired Navy captain and the organization’s CEO.
Heal Vets is distributing its kits through VA facilities, defense installations and other veterans support organizations. It said the kits can help with therapy, rehabilitation, the improvement of fine motor skills, anxiety and negative feelings triggered by post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries.
“We’re working closely with the VA Suicide Program to start including VA-produced suicide prevention awareness and education material with our kits,” McClain said. “Our concern is that during this time of increased stress from isolation and financial uncertainty, some veterans may be at higher risk of taking their own life. We are hoping to raise awareness and improve access to craft therapy kits to help mitigate that risk.”
Photo by Heal Vets
