My Nonprofit Reviews

A significant percentage of our veterans battle to overcome the adverse effects of PTSD, effects that currently result in over 20 veteran suicides a day. Combat veterans have a tough time adjusting on return, and low-income intensifies their struggles. Everyone for Veterans (E4V) exemplifies people helping people. The E4V approach helps both to heal the low-income combat veteran and strengthen the community at large. As individuals in the community become aware of this challenge, many volunteer with E4V to give back to our combat veterans in a more tangible manner. Everyone for Veterans connects individual people to meet the veteran needs. Passionate service plus intentional networking within the dental community has grown the provider network to more than 400 dentists across the nation providing pro bono comprehensive care (not just urgent care) in their private practices to low-income combat veterans in the community. Everyone for Veterans is a growing community of people helping people

I learned of Everyone for Veterans (E4V) from Dr Theresa Cheng in June 2016 as she sought to form a Board of Directors, incorporate, and expand beyond dental care for low-income, combat veterans. Dr Cheng wanted military experience on the team. I had served 31-years in the USAF, including 5 combat tours as a pilot during Vietnam War. When I learned of all E4V had already accomplished since 2008, I jumped at the opportunity to join. To move beyond the dental office and engage the community at large, we created the “Wingman” project so anyone in the community could participate and honor a veteran. While most of my support to E4V has been indirect –enlisting donors, engaging with other vets, and even signing up a dentist in Tennessee who happened to be in Sammamish for a wedding – the opportunity to be “in the house” and coordinate King 5 coverage when our wingman Erin made a delivery of food, toddler essentials, and toys to veteran David’s family in Renton is my top experience. Not only did the material items make a difference, but, more importantly, an individual in the community expressed care and acknowledged the life-threatening service of the vet and sacrifice of the family. The positive impact was clearly visible and unforgettable.

Everyone for Veterans (E4V) was born of people helping people back in 2008 – one Issaquah dentist and her staff. The veteran feedback and appreciation so pumped up the crew that, after only a few years, they offered comprehensive care, more than a one day annual event. Word spread through the dental associations, then the community at large via media coverage. E4V now has volunteers nationwide, a “Wingman” project so anyone in the community can participate. The Board, Dental care folks, and Wingmen are all volunteers – definitely a great group of people helping people and making a lasting, positive impact in the community.

Everyone for Veterans (E4V) started in 2008 with one dentist wanting to honor returning veterans, first one spouse at a time, then veterans, as well, when we learned VA offered very limited, if any, dental care. Passionate service plus intentional networking within the dental community grew the provider network to more than 100 dentists across the nation providing pro bono comprehensive care (not just urgent care) in their private practices to low-income combat veterans in their community. E4V works individually with each applying veteran to understand the veteran's personal needs and connect the returning veteran with a volunteer in the vet's community.

The feedback we get from veterans who were helped includes, “…this helped me believe in humanity again.” , or “…because of the kindness and generosity displayed, I DO finally feel at home.” Individuals who helped the veterans described it , “People giving get just as much out of it, if not more, than the people getting it.” Be a hero. Honor a hero.