VETERANS MOVING FORWARD INC

VMF'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE SERVICE DOGS, THERAPY DOGS, AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DOGS TO VETERANS WITH PHYSICAL AND/OR MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES AT NO COST TO THE VETERAN OR THEIR FAMILY. AS SUCH, VMF SERVICE DOGS ARE THE ORGANIZATION'S MOST VALUABLE ASSETS. IT COSTS VMF $40,000 TO ACQUIRE, TRAIN AND PLACE A SERVICE DOG, DEPENDING UPON THE SERVICE DOG'S ULTIMATE ROLE AND THE COMPLEXITY OF THE VETERANS' NEEDS BEING SERVED. EACH OF VMF'S HIGHLY TRAINED DOGS IS ASSESSED THROUGHOUT AN ONGOING 24-MONTH TRAINING AND PLACEMENT CYCLE. THIS ENSURES THAT EACH SERVICE DOG IN TRAINING (SDIT) IS TRAINED TO MEET THE VETERAN'S SPECIFIC NEEDS. THE VMF TRAINING CENTER IS LOCATED NEAR DULLES AIRPORT. THE CENTER CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE SERVICE DOG TRAINING PROGRAM AND PROVIDES A LOCATION TO CONDUCT VETERAN APPLICANT INTERVIEWS AND A MEET AND GREET WITH POSSIBLE SERVICE DOG CANDIDATES. THE CENTER IS A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE INITIAL MEETING AND SUBSEQUENT TRAINING WITH THE VETERANS WHO HAVE APPLIED FOR AND BEEN MATCHED WITH A VMF SERVICE DOG. VETERAN TRAINING IS IMPORTANT TO THE SUCCESSFUL PLACEMENT OF SERVICE DOGS WITH THEIR VETERAN PARTNERS. THE CENTER ALSO PROVIDES A WIDE VARIETY OF TRAINING AIDS AND DEVICES THAT WE ARE ABLE TO INCORPORATE INTO SERVICE DOG TRAINING. IN 2023 VMF ADDED 6 NEW DOGS TO THE PROGRAM, PLACED 2 SERVICE DOGS, 1 SERVICE DOG/THERAPY DOG AND ONE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DOG.. VMF HAD SEVERAL FUNDRAISING EVENTS AND ATTENDED NUMEROUS OUTREACH EVENTS, WE HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL YEAR IN BOTH FUNDRAISING EFFORTS AND OUTREACH. RAISING THE MOST MONEY IN VMF HISTORY. VETERANS MOVING FORWARD RECEIVED A $100,000 GRANT FROM THE STATE TO SUPPORT VETERAN SUICIDE PREVENTION AND OPIOID ADDICTION SERVICES. VMF USED THE GRANT TO GROW OUR THERAPY DOG PROGRAM AND WAS ABLE TO TOUCH THE LIVES OF 2,500 VETERANS, ACTIVE DUTY AND FAMILY MEMBERS.VMF HAS A PARTNERSHIP WITH TACTICAL RECOVERY AN IN-PATIENT/OUTPATIENT TREATMENT CENTER FOR VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS TO DO THERAPY WORK. VMF ALSO OFFERS MENTAL HEALTH DAYS TO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS OUR SERVICE DOGS AND THERAPY DOGS TOUCHED THE LIVES OF AT LEAST 5,000 VETERANS. 50+ VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTED 24,761 HOURS IN 2023, COVERING ALL PROGRAM AREAS, INCLUDING TRAINING, CANINE ASSISTANCE, FUNDRAISING, MAINTENANCE, AND ADMINISTRATION.