What we do | Provide quality entertainment to help address PTSD and Moral Injury
Based on the powerful films Invisible Scars and Honoring the Code, developed by the Crosswinds Foundation to educate and address the traumas of PTSD and Moral Injury, the Centers of Hope Project was launched in 2018.
The mission = provide a safe-space where warriors can address and overcome personal struggles with these traumas and/or to help their fellow warriors.
The starting place for healing often begins with recognizing there is an issue and understanding the need for assistance. Using materials developed by Warriors on Mission, Centers of Hope accomplish this by affording veterans the opportunity to interact with one another through weekly meetings which provide encouragement, resources, and relationship with others who’ve walked where they are.
Realizing the power of music to communicate and draw the listener into relationship with others through a shared message and experience, The Freedom Tour was established to promote music and other entertainment events that connect with and support our warrior community.
In addition to providing quality shows, these events also promote awareness about PTSD and Moral Injury and offer veterans an opportunity to establish, or connect with, a Center of Hope.
Why we do it | Music connects us, and then we can talk about the deeper issues
Statistical data indicates 25-33% of veterans who have served in a combat environment will suffer the effects of mental trauma such as Post Traumatic Stress or Moral Injury. Many veterans who were not in combat also suffer from these. The data further indicates that a staggering 22 veterans will commit suicide each day.
These problems are no longer isolated to men as the percentage of women participating in the military is at an all-time high being 5½ times that of World War II levels. Centers of Hope help active military, veterans and family members who struggle with these issues to find the needed healing and help reduce veteran suicides.
In order to help educate warriors and the general public about these traumas and connect to a Center of Hope or seek needed treatment, the Freedom Tour was developed in 2020.
The mission of the Freedom Tour is to take the message directly to the veteran by presenting concerts at places such as VFW and American Legion Posts and other organizations where veterans naturally gather.
How it works | Train your team, draw a crowd, deploy a Center of Hope
Warriors on Mission has engaged Chris Turner as lead performer and producer of the Freedom Tour. Chris is not only a touring musician but a fellow veteran (USMC) so this project is very personal to him. Chris and his team will work closely with veteran organizations, and those who desire to help veterans, making it easy to schedule a Freedom Tour Show at their venue.
A Freedom Tour Show will consist of a concert by Chris Turner and his guest performers. There will be no charge to the hosting organization; however, the host must provide the venue and any staffing required by the venue.
The Freedom Tour Concerts are completely funded by Warriors on Mission and our corporate sponsors. This allows the hosting organization to offer it as a free show to its members and local community.
The outcome | Your group grows, you raise funds, you serve at a higher level
The mission of the Freedom Tour is threefold:
1 | To enable the host organization a means for increasing membership.
Like many organizations today, veteran groups are finding it difficult to recruit new members, particularly among younger veterans. It is our hope that the Freedom Tour can be used to help engage others in the locality through a fun event that will also communicate what the organization has to offer the veteran community.
2 | To provide the hosting organization a means to raise funding for projects the organization is engaged in.
While hosting organizations are encouraged to offer this concert for free to its members and the community, the show also allows the host organization a great opportunity to raise funds to help in their mission. This can be done through selling ticket for a nominal amount and through the sale of onsite food and beverages.
If an organization uses the show as a fundraiser, the funds should be designated to helping veterans and/or covering any venue, promotional or other related expenses incurred in hosting the event.
3 | To educate about Post Traumatic Stress and Moral Injury in order to establish a Center of Hope.
In addition to musical performances, a brief portion of a Freedom Tour show will be devoted to educating those in attendance about service related trauma and the need to get help or to provide help for others.
If the host, or others, are interested in providing ongoing help to those who were inspired by the shows’ message of hope, our staff will provide training and assistance in developing a Center of Hope at your location. For more information, email [email protected].
