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Giving Back USA “Thank you” to PF.com (Long Post Warning)
I’ve been meaning to make this post for some time now, and between my cognitive impairments/memory issues and just being a dumbass, it has taken me until now to get this fixed. Please accept my sincerest and most humble apologies.
At Giving Back USA, we provide mental health supportive therapeutic activities, peer support, crisis intervention, and resource referrals for our veterans and first responders.
As the founder and President, on behalf of Giving Back USA, and our dedicated all volunteer staff, I’d like to personally thank each and every member of PF.com for their amazing generosity, and humbling support of our endeavor. Without that support, we would not have been able to do what we have done to date. I won’t bore you with all of the details, but I do want to highlight a few things, so you know where your donations have gone, and for what purpose they have been used.
Starting from scratch, we had a lot of logistical challenges, and equipment we needed to purchase in order to make the property we secured suitable for the uses we envisioned. Just as a matter of principle and good conscience, I made the command decision that we would not use any donated funds for the purchase of any of the equipment that we needed. I’m fortunate to have a very lovely bride who is very forgiving. So rather than take donated funds, I took out loans to purchase a tractor, a trailer to haul it, necessary attachments, as well as the first year’s supply of agricultural supplies, seeds, fertilizer, etc. We also needed the means to transport our target audience throughout the property for our various events, including those with physical disabilities. So, I sold my Harley and we purchased a Polaris Ranger Crew 1000XP, which seats six. My wife, bless her heart, tapped into some of her business resources, and acting on the recommendations she received, was kind enough to donate the start up costs for our website, as well as fund the hosting services for the first three years. My current daily driver is not suited to towing that kind of equipment, so my wife also graciously agreed to allow me to purchase a new truck; one suited for and capable of handling the tasks we throw at it. Without the wife being understanding, truly sympathetic to our cause, and not killing me for putting us pretty deep into debt, we wouldn’t have been able to get off the ground.
Getting our message out has been our biggest hurdle to date. In addition to our simple/basic website (which I have no idea how to edit or update), we had informational pamphlets printed, and have attended two local/regional trade shows. Our local paper did a decent story for us after meeting us at the trade show, which has helped to generate interest. We have also partnered up with other nonprofits, such as The Fallen Outdoors, who links veterans up with property owners/service providers for outdoor supportive therapies such as hunting, and fishing opportunities. I also scheduled appointments, and met face to face with all of our local and regional heads of first responder agencies to explain what we do, how we do it, and why.
(Link to newspaper article: https://henrycountyenterprise.com/a-...C16TjpWg5FnAP4)
2020 was an interesting year to say the least, and a shitty one to be starting a nonprofit, if you ask me. While we founded Giving Back in 2018, there were some major legal and logistical hurdles that needed addressed before we could take it from the concept phase to the action phase, which we began in January of 2020. Prior to 2020, we were severely restricted by lack of property suitable for our uses, and hosted only a handful of veterans/first responders during that period.
When we took control of our new 850 acre property in 2020, we found that it has been neglected for many years. Most of the trails required substantial work to clear downed trees, and be able to access the entirety of the property. Our dedicated volunteers did most of the heavy lifting in this aspect of getting us up and running. We also hosted a “volunteer day”, and members of our local community came out with their chainsaws and ATVs/UTVs, and we were able to clear in one morning, more than our staff had been able clear in several months. That said, there are still trails we have not been able access yet, as we have more cutting and hacking to do in order to get them open. We also pretty much have to travel with chainsaws on our vehicles, as every storm produces more downed trees, and it is easier to keep up than to catch up. Another issue we faced was massive erosion due to the exceptional rainfall we get during thunderstorms. Through conversations and networking, I met a real estate developer in NC who graciously donated the use of his D4 Bulldozer to help fix trails that were dangerous and unsuitable for travel, even on (or especially on) ATVs. Unfortunately, one side of the tracks had issues engaging the clutch, so we didn’t get as much done with the dozer as we would have liked. Still, we pressed on, and used the tractor to repair trails as best we could. (D4 is still sitting in the side of one trail waiting for warmer weather and a mechanic)
With transportation covered, and trails mostly accessible and usable, we set out to make our property more disability friendly. Using my relationship with the owner of a local building supply store, I have been able to purchase “culled lumber” by the load/volume, versus having to pay retail for lumber (prices of which have skyrocketed). This has been used to build handicap/wheelchair accessible platforms upon which we place pop up ground blinds for ease of access
For a disabled hunter. We also needed several bridges constructed, and set about building two in 2020. Three more are in the works for 2021.
We don’t provide just a hunting/fishing/ATV riding venue for our “clients”. Our primary focus is, and always will be the mental health of our veterans and first responders. We provide peer support, as well as helping clients in crisis navigate their insurance, EAP, and veterans resources to find the services they want/need. One of our board members is a practicing psychiatrist, and we have a volunteer Licensed Clinical Social Worker on our staff. Our next mission is to educate our target audience on what mental health treatment is and is not, as well as methods to preserve it, thereby hopefully reducing the odds of them finding themselves in a mental health crisis. We do that by providing the venue, and activities that put our clients in close contact with others who have similar experiences and may be suffering from similar mental health issues. What we don’t do is force feed anyone our philosophy, nor do we imply everyone who participates in one of our events is in need of mental health services or treatment. We open the door for the conversation to take place. If that isn’t something they are ready or need to do, then we move on, with a simple reminder at the end of the day that no one needs to fight their demons alone. Additionally, we have thoroughly vetted each and every resource we refer our clients to, and often times go with them to their first appointment to help ease some of their anxiety.
One of our first clients referred to us in 2020 was a young EMT who was dealing with severe depression/major depressive disorder, and had taken to drinking excessively to numb her pain. She had quit her job, and at 110 lbs (maybe, with all her clothes on, soaking wet) was slugging back two bottles of liquor a day on average, in addition to using whatever street drugs she could get her hands on. Why she was hell bent on destroying herself was made clear to me before I ever met her so I knew what I’d be in for; Christmas Eve of 2019, Her fiancé, a local police officer had used his duty weapon to kill himself in front of her while she was taking the dog out for a bathroom break, and he standing on the porch. She had been offered counseling immediately after the incident and agreed, only to have the counselor try to build commonality and rapport by comparing this young lady’s traumatic event to the recent death of her cat. Needless to say, that ended her counseling, and soured her view on counseling to the point she was unwilling to do anything to help herself, except drink the pain away. After a candid conversation, she hesitantly agreed to see a counselor again. By this time Covid had taken over our daily lives, and I was able to get her a PhD level provider via telehealth who was standing by, immediately upon conclusion of our conversation. She further agreed after her first session to seek help in coming off the booze, so we were able to have a doctor prescribe her medication to ease the DT’s and withdrawal symptoms she was facing in the days and weeks ahead. Both providers offered their services Pro Bono, since she was no longer covered under her insurance plan, because she was no longer employed. She has been clean and sober for several months now, and continues her therapy/treatment to this day. Her mother later called me and her opinion was that her daughter would have been dead within 6 months, if it had not been for the crisis intervention we were fortunate enough to be able to provide.
Several weeks later, I received a call from our local EMS leadership asking if I’d meet at their office. Being well after hours, I immediately agreed and went to the office. I was then told of a developing situation, one of their paramedics was having a mental/emotional breakdown and talking about suicide. His pregnant girlfriend (also EMT) got him to “sort of” agree to going to the hospital, but she was scared out of her wits for him, and herself. When the local magistrate denied her request to have him taken to the hospital as a danger to himself and others, she contacted her supervisor, who was also her mentor, and a family friend. Local LE leadership was involved in the discussion of how best to handle the situation at hand, and was (probably righteously) concerned about the possibility of it developing into a hostage situation, and/or a murder/suicide. After a couple of hours discussing scenarios, it was decided that I would make contact with the paramedic at his home, while everyone else stayed put, and at my insistence, local LE stood down from their posture of anticipating a stand-off, and stood down the local SWAT element getting eyes on the house. I made contact with the medic, who was clearly having a mental health crisis. In short order, he agreed hospitalization was the most suitable option for his circumstances, and agreed to allow me to take him immediately. Being a small, rural area, he insisted we not admit him to the local hospital where he is well known, and I agreed it was not the best choice to meet his needs. We drove 70 miles to a hospital that had an available bed in their mental health unit, and got him checked in. Crisis averted, he set about getting himself sorted out through therapy and appropriate medications. He joined us on his first ever deer hunt this past fall, and harvested himself a nice little buck. His son was born last month, and the cars that had jumped the track, are all back on course, and heading in the right direction. Reminiscing during our hunt about the night I took him to the hospital, he thanked me, and then choked up as he told me “If you hadn’t come when you did, I wouldn’t be here. I was walking upstairs to get my gun and kill myself when you rang the doorbell”.
We hosted a youth hunt during the fall on the VA Youth Hunting weekend. We had four pairs of little hunters and parent attend. While everyone had opportunities, and took shots, unfortunately, none were able to successfully put a deer on the ground. But many lessons were learned, and one of the “Littlest Lebowski’s” learned about adrenaline, and the phenomenon of “Buck Fever” when she was trying to line up her shot on a nice little 6 point buck, and her legs wouldn’t stop shaking. Shaking so bad, she couldn’t keep her sights on the target.
We also hosted a couple of disabled veteran hunters for deer and bear seasons. One of them, wheelchair bound, was so grateful for the opportunity to get out and hunt, he was nearly in tears. He had been an avid outdoorsman before he was paralyzed, and had tried a few times to return to hunting, but had been unable to find any place suitable for him and his chair. That we had built up multiple sites throughout the property that provided him access to ground blinds compatible with his chair, he was overwhelmed. He was not successful in harvesting a deer this year, but insisted he’d be back for turkeys in the spring.
Our other disabled veteran came from one county over, and is a triple amputee. He lost both legs and an arm while serving as a Marine infantryman in Afghanistan. He was but one of a handful of veterans we hosted that particular day, in partnership with The Fallen Outdoors, and when offered up first choice of hunting locations, he chose a premier spot with a tree stand. Watching a man with two fake legs and one arm climbing a tree stand one handed while hauling all of his gear up the ladder at the same time was extremely motivating and inspiring to all of the other veterans watching. He saw plenty of animals, and was even tempted by one, but ultimately elected not to shoot anything that presented itself that day, commenting that “just being out here, and being back around people who I can relate to is well worth the time”. Our local Chick Fil A provided a meal of all of their best menu items for lunch, and as guys enjoyed the afternoon lull, many heart to heart discussions took place, with guys sharing their personal stories of battling their demons and failing, and talking about different options that worked for them, or didn’t. One vet at the end of the day who had traveled from the DC area to hunt with us waited for the others to leave and then asked for help finding resources for some of his mental health issues. We were able to link him up with a provider local to him, and he later entered a multi week intensive treatment program for substance abuse and emotional trauma. He’s been clean and sober ever since, and reaching out to tell his story so others don’t have to take the hard road, as he did. Of the six veterans we hosted that day, three put animals on the ground, with one hunter even sharing his prize with another who didn’t have a shooter worthy animal sighting.
In addition to these highlighted events, we have spent hundreds of hours on the phone talking to veterans and first responders from all over the east coast. Sometimes providing resources. Sometimes just being an ear for them to vent to who understands what they’re going through. Our local first responders have taken advantage of our 25/100 range property, and I’ve shagged several calls from both EMS and Fire personnel who needed help navigating the EAP, finding a provider, or options for specialized services they cannot afford, such as a psychiatrist. Most of our local firefighters are volunteers, and the EAP doesn’t cover psychiatric care, only psychological. Most cannot afford out of pocket costs for psychiatric care. Even with insurance, the copays for the professional first responders is $100 per visit. When you’re only making $31,000 a year, and living paycheck to paycheck, $100 can be a monumental sum of money. Over the last year, we were able to provide access to psychiatric care to more than a dozen veterans and first responders, either Pro Bono, or by being able to cover their out of pocket costs.
Pistol Forum’s own @LittleLebowski brought his daughter to the youth weekend hunt, and they returned after the weather cooled considerably to give it another try. She was able to get shots off this time, but alas, the Buck Fever had a similar effect as during the youth hunt, and she was unable connect with her targeted animal. The blind she was using is named after her uncle Billy, a Marine Scout Sniper who lost the battle with his demons in 2018, which to her was more important that “Uncle Billy” would not be forgotten than her harvesting an animal. We couldn’t agree more.
Mapping the property has been a time consuming process, but it is getting closer to being done each week. All of our trails, bridges, and blinds are named (or in the process) for deceased veterans and first responders, specifically the ones who were casualties of the war inside their head, so that they may never be forgotten, and to remind us that No One Needs To Fight Alone!! Night or day, weekday or weekends, Giving Back USA is standing by to assist any veteran or first responder in need.
If you made it this far, thank you for taking the time to read about our efforts, and our successes. We have not had a failure to connect yet, but understand that when dealing with these kinds of issues, it is only a matter of time. We lose, on average, 22 veterans each day to suicide. More veterans have died from suicide since 2010 than were killed during the entirety of the Vietnam War. First responders aren’t fairing much better. With limited and often unsuitable/inappropriate for the circumstances resources available, it can be a battle just to find the help you need, let alone having to figure out how to access it when you’re in the middle of an emotional or psychological breakdown.
The only thing I hate about running a nonprofit, and doing what we do, is asking people for money. I’d rather fuck a fry-o-later bareback than ask for handouts. But the reality is that it costs money to do what we do. Unlike other nonprofits, we do not compensate our staff. They are 100% volunteers, each with first hand Mil/Fire/EMS/LE experience, or combination thereof. Our annual budget requirements for operations is .~ $10k. However, in order to continue to grow, improve our facilities, improve and expand our network of little/no cost providers, and increase our area of influence and educational impact, our board members adopted a fundraising goal of $15,000 annually. I’ll be meeting with local businesses and business leaders in and around our community in the coming weeks to try to gain more corporate sponsorship, and reduce the amount needed in private donations or grants to meet our year to year objectives. Our current corporate sponsors are: Pistol-forum.com, Bowers Group Suppressors (who have ensured all Giving Back USA loaner firearms are adequately suppressed), Liberty Gun Lubricants, Black Butterfly Ammunition (our exclusive ammunition provider), Vortex Optics (who provided optics and rings for each of our loaner rifles, as well as binos and range finders for our youth hunters during their weekend), & MGM Targets. If you are purchasing a product that one of these partners manufacturer, please consider their offerings before buying something else automatically or because it popped up first on Google. These companies, like ya’all, have been instrumental in our success, and ability to help our heroes in uniform.
Again, I absolutely hate asking for money to fund this. Especially when having to keep going back to the same well, over and over again. But with Covid and the various restrictions, we were unable to host our two planned fundraising events, and I wouldn’t/couldn’t ask people for donations during the peak of the pandemic related restrictions that were costing people their livelihoods. So even though I hate it, here I am, humbling myself, and holding out my hands, palms up, asking for your help. When I say “every little thing helps”, I mean it. $5.00 is $5.00, and between our board of directors and I, we are quite adept at finding $20 solutions to $MIL problems. Your support doesn’t have to be financial. If you’re not in a place where you’re able to donate, we completely understand. But perhaps you would consider helping us in other ways, such as sharing this post/information about our organization, and mission.
We are easily found on social media under Giving Back USA, where we focus on posting positive reminders for people struggling with their mental health. We do have an active fundraiser on Facebook, and donations are always welcome via PayPal (link on our website).
www.givingbackusa.org
Finally, if I may be so bold as to ask one more thing from this body.........if you know of a veteran or first responder who is struggling, encourage them to reach out to us. Our services are available at no cost whatsoever to veterans, first responders, and their immediate families. Our phone is always on, but if we don’t answer, absolutely leave a message.....we will call back as soon as physically possible, usually within the hour. I’m having reconstructive shoulder surgery early next month, which will make me easy to reach any time.
A handful of photos so you can see what we’re doing, not just read my babbling about it.
Thank you all again. It hardly seems to cover what we all feel from your support, but for right now, it’s the best I can offer.
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