For the rest of the year, we’re featuring some of our favorite nonprofits and how you can support them with your time, talent...and especially treasure.
Outside our office, we decorated a tree to show support to the nonprofits we work with, and passers by who will enjoy the dozens of displays (and vote on their favorite!) will get to check out a link to learn about an amazing organization doing amazing things!
Day 3 Nonprofit – Brady Oberg Legacy Foundation
As someone who has never served, I’m in constant awe of those who are braver, stronger and more dedicated to fighting for my safety and rights home and abroad. And though I have no concept of how hard it is for a combat veteran to integrate back into “normal” society while living with the traumatic experiences they lived, I know what I can do to help – support organizations like the Brady Oberg Legacy Foundation.
The programs they have developed – including adventures with other combat vets to give space to conversations that non-military individuals can’t have and helping fund scholarships for more combat vets to graduate with degrees to help therapeutically relate to their brothers and sisters in arms better – is a game changer. I can’t think of a more worthy cause than to help support those who protect us through military service when they come back home. And there’s no nonprofit more dedicated to this than the Brady Oberg Legacy Foundation.
In November of 2015, the Brady Oberg Legacy Foundation was established. It was formed by a group of people who loved Brady, grieved for him and wanted to stop this tragedy from happening to others. Eleven people connected to Brady; his wife, mother, father, sister, brother, mother-in-law, brother-in-law, and four friends formed the Board of Directors. Some of the Board members are veterans and several other veterans attend the monthly meetings to give their input and advice. The Foundation was established under the auspices of the Dakota Medical Foundation, enabling its Board to focus on the Foundation’s goals.
The goals were chosen because of their direct connection to Brady. After his return to civilian life, he tried counseling, but felt that those who tried to help him “really didn’t get it”. He believed that counselors who hadn’t been in combat can’t understand the mind of a combat soldier and that the best counseling came from time spent with fellow soldiers. Thus, the idea of soldier retreats became one of our goals along with providing scholarships to combat veterans wishing to go into the mental health field to help other soldiers. His strong belief in education reinforced the idea of scholarships. Our ignorance of PTSD prompted the goal of PTSD awareness. We work hard to inform the public, especially spouses and families, about the signs, effects and how to get help for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Our hope and mission is that these goals will lead to “Happy, Healthy Lives for our Combat Veterans!”