My Nonprofit Reviews
wayatrish97
Review for Blinded Veterans Association, Alexandria, VA, USA
The Blinded Veterans Association (BVA)is the only organization that works for all of our blinded veterans and their families, works with the Veterans Association to have the services needed for the blinded veterans, and embraces their Auxiliary (BVAA) as the blinded veterans' caregivers and loved ones.
They have identified many needs of the blinded veterans, have worked to get their needs taken care of by the Veterans Association. This has been done by letters and appearances in the "Halls of Congress," working with doctors and VA staff to learn more, working with the veterans to make sure the services and veterans are brought together for the individual's benefit and that of all blinded veterans. BVA never stops! 2020 brought a change in the laws so that family caregivers of eligible veterans (the blind and others), whose help and assistance was previously only recognized for our post-9/11 veterans, can now receive expanded assistance and in two years should cover the family caregivers of all eligible veterans with serious, service connected injury or illness. This was a great achievement for the BVA , as well as the veterans and family caregivers.
Fear of the unknown was high prior to attending my first BVA Convention. That lasted for about fifteen minutes after we walked in the front door. We were swept into the world - or rather the family - of blinded veterans and their spouses and families. We watched as some struggled in transition for acceptance and others were comfortable in their own skin. We were accepted quickly and easily into the fold of the BVA and found ourselves working with others to grow the BVA family and expand it to the younger generation coming home from Iraq, Afghanistan, and other corners of the middle east. We have made new lifetime friends, learned much, and contributed our work and much of our lives to the BVA because we believe in them and they believe in us. "Blinded Veterans Helping Blinded Veterans" is not just a motto or a saying, it's what we - the Blinded Veterans Association - do.
