My Nonprofit Reviews

I went on a long bike ride with another veteran's group and wanted to keep riding when I got home- but couldn't afford to make the expensive purchase (recumbent trike to mitigate balance issues after injury) on my own. The VA has a process for allowing certain exercise equipment, but I had already waited on this process for over 8 months. The Indy fund accepted my application and committed to help me make the purchase within the same week! My experience with them was so positive, in large part because I later attended an event with them and saw them work to serve injured vets, all on their own time and own dime. The fact that 100% of a contribution goes to the intended person really resonates with me.

Following a wartime injury and separation from service I felt both bitter about being "let go" from the Army and hesitant to call myself a "service-disabled" person because I had seen other soldiers who were hurt so much worse than I was. I felt like I didn't belong as either a veteran or a civilian. Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) brought me in to a SoldierRide event and just accepted me. Surrounded by other warriors- some with severe injuries and some with invisible wounds, I just felt included. I was never separated out within the group for being "not injured enough" or "not injured in the right way". They just made me feel part of the team. My experience was so positive, in fact, that I later looked for job opportunities with their team- they just made me feel whole.