SPECIAL EDITION! THE FIREWATCH SIX PACK
Team FireWatch is in the field every day meeting incredible visionaries who lead impactful missions in the veteran and first responder communities. In this special edition of The FireWatch Six Pack, we share six organizations who deserve your support. In honor of #GivingTuesday, we ask you to consider supporting these organizations who are changing lives within your community.
#1: Warrior Wellness Program
Located at 1750 Arcadia Rd. Holiday, FL 34690, and online at www.warriorwellnessprogram.org, or call (727) 393-8387.
Foundation
Through participation in a study on Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), the founders realized the incredible impact that this therapy had on veterans. ART became the driving mission of the organization with its ability to provide significant results in short periods of time.
At the Warrior Wellness Program facility, the Accelerated Wellness Program, is a five-day program that requires participants to “put in the work doing the hard things to find relief and healing,” as stated by Operations Manager, Chris Sowell.
“We don’t advertise our services,” says Sowell, “because we have a six-month waiting list for our programs.”
The running six-month waiting list is because of the tremendous word-of-mouth power of personal referrals from one veteran/service-member to another.
Milestones/Challenges
The WWP finds itself in a hard time. Like many other impactful non-profit organizations, WWP failed to get State appropriations for 2025. This has impacted all growth efforts for the coming year.
With current budgeting, there is only enough money to cover so many veterans through the program which has an average cost of $3000 per person for each five-day session. WWP hit program number 200 this year resulting in the assistance of approximately 1200 veterans and service members.
Goals for 2025
WWP intends to expand its services to Huntsville, Alabama, a highly veteran populated community. For Pasco County, the team at WWP would love to open the program to more veterans in quicker time.
“Oftentimes when a veteran gets to us, they are at the end of their rope,” says Sowell. “If we recognize an emergency, we will do whatever we can to get them into the program quicker. Otherwise, they are put on the waiting list and may have to wait several months to enter the program. This is unfortunate. We know we have something that has been proven to help people. We just want them to be able to get the help as soon as they need it.”
Christmas Wish List
More funding means more veterans helped! When a person enters the WWP five-day program, all expenses are covered to include transportation, accommodations, and all meals.
WWP has established relationships with local restaurants who offer a reduced price for participant meals. Each mealtime has a combined price tag of $150 – $200 for participants and staff. Their Christmas wish list includes:
ü Restaurant Gift Certificates* or Meal Sponsorships of $200
ü Gas Cards for the Center’s Van (WaWa or RaceTrac)
ü Marriott Bonvoy Point Donations, or Room Sponsorships of $100
ü Amazon Gift Cards for Supplies
Participating Restaurants include Central Park, Zen Kitchen, Tarpon Turtle, Carmelitas, El Cerrito’s, Whiskey Joes; all located in West Pasco County.
#2: Friend of the Legion Program, American Legion Post 108
Visit online at www.AmericanLegionPost108.com, email them at Outreach@AmericanLegionPost108.com, or call (813) 845-9108.
Foundation
Since its founding in 1919, the American Legion has been a source of good for service-members, veterans, and their families. One of their slogans is, “Veterans Helping Veterans.”
But local American Legion Posts, like Post 108 in Land O’Lakes, do a lot to support their communities, other organizations, and youth programs. In turn, there are many people and businesses who would love to support their community American Legion, but until now, have only been able to do so in limited ways.
With the new American Legion Post 108 “Friend of the Legion” Program, anyone can support and honor their community American Legion, with great support from legionnaires in return.
Milestones/Challenges
The American Legion Post 108 Friend of the Legion Program launched in September 2024 offering three different sponsorship packages ranging from $25 per month to $1,250 per month. Friend of the Legion benefits can be found at www.AmericanLegionPost108.com/become-post-sponsor.
Goals for 2025
Through fundraising efforts, including the Friend of the Legion Program, The American Legion Post 108 looks forward to growing its Legion Ball Program, support for its sponsored Boy Scout Troop 0366, and Cub Pack 0366, as well as to launch a Veteran Owned Business Entrepreneurial Track Program with Scholarships and Grants awarded to participants.
Post 108’s Goal for 2025 is to find one “The General” corporate sponsor, one “The Command” corporate sponsor, and 10 “The Sergeants” individual sponsors.
Christmas Wishlist
ü ONE General Level Corporate Sponsorship ($1,250 per month)
ü ONE Command Level Corporate Sponsorship ($500 per month)
ü TEN Sergeant Level Individual Sponsorships ($25 per month)
See the benefits you receive as a Friend of the Legion Sponsor here > www.AmericanLegionPost108.com/become-post-sponsor.
#3: Bubbles for Vets
Visit online at www.BubblesforVets.org, email tonyjoyce@bubblesforvets.org, or call (813) 390-3576.
Foundation
Bubbles for Vets founder, Tony Joyce, spent 12 years in the military where he witnessed many families broken by never-ending deployments and separation.
“We all missed a lot,” explains Joyce. “When we finally got home, we were different and so was our family. I watched this happen to several friends, and started to wonder how I could help fix broken families. It became my goal to find a way to give families a hobby they could do together, something new they had never tried before.”
Joyce had been a diver in the military and later became a scuba instructor. One summer, he was asked to teach a group of kids.
“The first time I saw those kids take their first breath under water, I was hooked,” says Joyce.
He went on to offer instructional classes for autistic, handicapped, and physically impaired people of all ages. Ultimately, Joyce created his own non-profit teaching vets and their families to dive.
Milestones/Challenges
Fundraising has been the biggest challenge for the Bubbles for Vets organization. Like many other impactful organizations, funding has been very limited because of a down economy. To add insult to injury, Joyce lost much of his equipment in the 2024 hurricanes that hit central Florida.
Goals for 2025
The Bubbles for Vets’ goals for 2025 are simple and concise. They would like to raise enough money to put six families through the program successfully. They would like to own, or rent, a facility where they can train participants, and they would like to replace the damaged gear from the hurricanes.
Christmas Wishlist
ü Wetsuits in childrens and small sizes
ü BCDs in small and medium sizes
ü Boots, 2 in every size
#4: Suicide Prevention Training Institute
Visit online at www.educatingtosavelives.org, email spti@educatingtosavelives.org, or call
(813) 807-7784.
Foundation
Dr. Derrick Copper, a counseling psychologist and Navy veteran, provided behavioral health services to the Department of Defense, U.S. Army, Army Substance Abuse Program for 35 years. He first trained as a LivingWorks Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) trainer in 2008 while serving at the U.S. Army Presidio of Monterey, California.
Dr. Copper provided this training until his retirement in 2015. Later, a personal and profound experience filled his mind with despair, and he thought to himself, “You can be part of the problem, or part of the solution.”
He chose to be part of the solution, and went on to establish the Suicide Prevention Training Institute.
Milestones/Challenges
As of November 2024, four years after it began delivering ASIST workshops, SPTI trained 207 individuals in suicide prevention, exceeding its five-year goal to train 200 per year. Among those attending the ASIST Workshops in 2024, for the first time, SPTI had five couples attend together.
In efforts to reach the community and to be a valuable learning asset to veterans, service-members, their families, and gatekeepers, SPTI became part of the Hillsborough County Veterans Council.
These successes come alongside challenges. For SPTI, acquiring funds to offer the ASIST workshop at little or no cost to participants is challenging. This is with the understanding that quite often, those that are in greatest need of a workshop are those that can least afford the registration cost. The team at SPTI works diligently to acquire monetary donations and grant funds to support its mission to provide the ASIST workshop for free.
Goals for 2025
To fully fund the SPTI’s program: Combating Suicide: Prevention and Intervention Education for the Tampa Bay Community. When fully funded, this program can offer critical suicide prevention and intervention training to ALL in the Tampa Bay Community at no cost to the participant.
Christmas Wishlist
ü To reach their fundraising goal of $22,000 which will allow for six workshops in the Greater Tampa Bay Community in 2025 at no cost to participants.
#5: Florida Veterans Coalition
Visit online at www.floridaveterans.org, or email info@floridaveterans.org.
Foundation
The Florida Veterans Coalition was founded with a mission to provide financial, emotional, and regulatory assistance to veterans and their families. Their focus is on delivering emergency funding, medical and therapy services, and scholarships for children, grandchildren, and spouses of veterans.
The Coalition’s goal is to ensure veterans and their families have access to essential support when they need it most. They also host two flagship events each year: the Clearwater Honor Fest for Memorial Day and the Clearwater Patriot Fest for Veterans Day, bringing the community together to celebrate and support veterans.
Milestones/Challenges
In the past year, the Coalition has successfully provided emergency relief grants to 100 veterans affected by the recent hurricanes, helping them recover from significant losses. Additionally, they’ve expanded their scholarship program to reach more students in veteran families and have offered funding for medical and therapy services not covered by the VA.
One of the biggest challenges has been addressing the increased demand for services due to recent disasters, but Coalition community partnerships have been vital in meeting these needs.
Goals for 2025
Goals for the coming year include expanding the emergency relief funding program, increasing outreach for the scholarship fund, and partnering with more local organizations to enhance their support network.
The Coalition aims to provide more veterans with critical medical and mental health services and continue championing educational opportunities for veteran families. There are plans to grow the Clearwater Honor Fest and Clearwater Patriot Fest events to reach more veterans and their families.
Christmas Wishlist
ü Emergency Fund donations to provide financial assistance to veterans in crisis.
ü Gift cards for household essentials and groceries for veteran families.
ü Support for medical and therapy services for veterans needing care beyond VA coverage.
ü Toys for children of veteran families through Operation Toy Soldier.
ü Event sponsors for Clearwater Honor Fest and Clearwater Patriot Fest to help us expand our reach and impact.
#6: K9 Partners for Patriots
Foundation
Founded in 2014, K9 Partners for Patriots was created to prevent veteran suicide.
For veterans diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) or Military Sexual Trauma (MST), we offer a six-month training program in which we teach the veteran how to train a K9 that becomes his or her working service dog. In addition to the K9 for those who do not have one, we provide all of the essential equipment, training, and some veterinary care too, all at no cost to the veteran.
We also offer counseling with a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Through K9P4P our veterans gain a second chance at life.
Milestones/Challenges
From the beginning of K9P4P has grown from one veteran to 770, and they travel here from 46 of Florida’s 67 counties, with some from out of state as well.
“While we believe that our growth reflects the effectiveness of our program, bringing health and healing to our veterans and their families, at the same time we must acknowledge that it also reflects the relentless need for help among so many veterans from all eras,” explains the team, “We have outgrown the space we now occupy and greatly need funding for a new facility on a parcel of land we purchased nearby.”
Goals for 2025
Goals for 2025 include the continuation of successfully managed growth and partnering with other veteran programs, and increasing awareness to expedite outreach for those in need.
As a member of the Wounded Warriors Service Dog Project, K9 Partners for Patriots looks forward to breaking ground for a new and permanent home for the organization. This progress will be vital to serving more veterans statewide while simultaneously translating leasing costs into equity to enhance financial stability for years to come.
Christmas Wishlist
By making financial contributions to organizations like K9 Partners for Patriots, support from individuals and communities translates into service dogs trained for therapeutic support to those dealing with PTSD, which can make a transformative difference for veterans struggling with mental health issues.
K9P4P also aims to offer mental health programs that offer professional counseling and peer support, empowering veterans to manage stress, overcome trauma and regain a sense of normalcy.
For veterans who have given so much, these resources are vital to achieving lasting stability and a brighter outlook. K9P4P’s Christmas wish list is simple:
ü Financial contributions, pledges, and/or grants.