Veterans United Foundation Donates $300,000 to National Guard Resiliency Center

August 8, 2013

The center will provide behavioral health support services for Guardsmen and families

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. Veterans United Home Loans today announced its charitable arm, Veterans United Foundation, made a $300,000 gift to aid in the construction of a Resiliency Center for the Missouri National Guard. The center will be a safe and supportive place for Missouri Guardsmen and their families to receive supportive services related to deployments and mobilizations.

We can't thank Veterans United Foundation enough for what this donation does for service members and families in Missouri, said Dr. Joel Denney, executive director of Missouri National Guard Association. This gift is believed to be the largest monetary contribution from a private funder that directly benefits the Missouri Guard. It is a commitment to our soldiers and airmen to help deployments, transitions and any other issues they may face while serving our state and country.

The Missouri National Guard Association will staff the new facility.

The need is great for a safe place for these men and women to go no matter what is facing them, Denney said. Recently, the Department of Veterans Affairs reported nearly 25 percent of suicides in Missouri involve a veteran. That number is staggering and we need to do whatever we can to bring it down this year and beyond.

The facility will be customized specifically to provide behavioral health support services. The services include family and individual counseling, substance abuse counseling and suicide prevention for current and former Guardsmen.

The stress of deployments can be overwhelming not just for the Guardsman, but for his or her family as well, said Megan Sievers, director of Veterans United Foundation. While we strive to help service members and their families all over the nation, this is happening in our own backyard. We are honored to help build the Resiliency Center in Missouri."

The Missouri Nation Guard Foundation is managing the construction of the building that is estimated to cost $600,000. The facility will then be donated to the Missouri National Guard upon completion. The center will overlook the Missouri River next to the Missouri National Guard Headquarters, Ike Skelton Training Site located at 2302 Militia Drive in Jefferson City.