We are told the war in Iraq is over, however, the war is only beginning for soldiers coming home. As GIs return from Iraq and the conflict in Afghanistan heats up, the challenges faced by veterans have only begun to emerge. The rates of suicide, substance abuse, homelessness, and imprisonment among veterans is already skyrocketing to epidemic proportions due to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other deployment-related issues. There is a stigma attached to seeking help in the military. Many service members are afraid that doing so will affect their reputations or military careers. An ongoing Department of Defense study has determined that reluctance to seek help through the military is a contributing factor in active-duty suicides. Coffee Strong provides a casual atmosphere that allows service members and veterans to access information and resources without having to worry about being judged, labeled, stigmatized, or punished.
Opened in 2008, Coffee Strong is a veteran-owned and veteran-operated coffee shop outside of Fort Lewis, Washington that provides a comfortable and safe atmosphere for veterans to share their experiences and find out about resources available to them. Coffee Strong provides free coffee, Internet, concerts, movie screenings and other events to active-duty military personnel, veterans, and their families, and acts as a meeting place for various organizations and support groups. It provides a place for service members and veterans to socialize and relax in a safe atmosphere that also allows them to feel comfortable in seeking help. Coffee Strong is also dedicated to helping soldiers stand together so that they can improve their conditions and hold the military and government responsible for their policies.
Because Coffee Strong is a non-profit organization and not a business, we rely on the support of the community to keep our doors open and continue providing free coffee and services to veterans and active duty personnel. As a sustaining donor, you can support the work of Coffee Strong with an automatic monthly donation.
In the past year, Coffee Strong has provided the following resources for the GI / veteran community:
* Free, confidential referrals to licensed therapists for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their families
* G.I. rights counseling and advocacy for active-duty service members stationed at Fort Lewis
* Weekly veterans’ benefit assistance by experienced Veteran Service Officers
* Access to information and resources available to veterans within the local community
* The new website http://www.coffeestrong.org for updates and connections to assistance
We deeply appreciate the support we have received from the community and ask that you support our continuing efforts to help service members, veterans, and their families. Thank you for your support.
Click here to become a sustaining donor now.
