Affiliations
We Honor Veterans: Four-Star Partner
We are proud of our designation as a full partner agency in the We Honor Veterans Program, a collaboration between the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and the Department of Veteran Affairs. With military veterans making up 25% of all deaths in the U.S., veterans’ hospice care affects a meaningful portion of the population. This program empowers hospice professionals to meet the unique needs of terminally ill veterans and their families.
The We Honor Veterans Program teaches hospice staff and volunteers about respectful inquiry, compassionate listening and gratitude – all to comfort those with a history of military service, who may have physical or psychological trauma. The team remains vigilant to environmental and other factors that could trigger fear, anxiety and painful memories from the past.
Our hospice team presents certificates of appreciation and red, white and blue lap quilts to each veteran. We also recognize your loved one in other ways on military commemorative dates throughout the year. This process includes strengthening relationships with veteran agencies, maintaining a veteran-to-veteran volunteer program, providing community education and celebrating our veterans.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a noticeable increase in food insecurity within the local veteran community. In response, our hospice team established a food pantry. As a result, we can cater to the needs of numerous veterans on an annual basis. Remarkably, in 2023, we successfully distributed 340 bags of food to our esteemed veteran population. Encouraged by this achievement, we are determined to further expand this noble initiative and extend greater assistance to our veteran community.