Month of the Military Caregiver
May is the Month of the Military Caregiver, a time to honor and recognize the incredible sacrifices and dedication of the caregivers of our nation’s wounded, ill, and injured service members and Veterans. Here are a few statistics of military caregivers in the US from The RAND Corporation:
5.5 Million military caregivers in the United States provide care to Veterans and service members from all eras and conflicts. – rand.org
30% of military caregivers report that they have had to quit their jobs or reduce their work hours to provide care to their loved one. – rand.org
5.9 Billion is the cost of lost productivity among post-9/11 caregivers (in 2011 dollars). – rand.org
70% of caregivers provide care to a spouse or partner, and provide care for an average of 10 years. – rand.org
Caring for a Veteran can be a challenging and demanding role, and many caregivers face significant physical, emotional, and financial strain. Caregivers, we see you, we hear you, and you are welcome here. If you see yourself in these statistics and you live on Hawai’i Island please join us. We would love to have you come grow and heal with us. Learn more about our programs.
Military Caregivers in our Community
In honor of the Month of the Military Caregiver, we want to uplift the voices of Military Caregivers in our community. Meet our friend, Ilihia Gionson, a Caregiver for his father Anthony who served in Vietnam.
We met Ilihia and Tony back in 2015 when Tony would come out to volunteer and garden with us. Tony also received a Victory Garden for Veterans so he could grow from home.
“Therapeutic agriculture paired with the wrap-around support services has been transformative for my father and is worth a shot for any veteran struggling with PTSD or anxiety-related challenges.” -Ilihia
More resources:
Elizabeth Dole Foundation- https://www.elizabethdolefoundation.org/
Caregiverson the Homefront – https://caregivers-homefront.org/
Yellow Ribbon Fund- https://yellowribbonfund.org/
The Independence Fund- https://independencefund.org/