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• Who We Are
• Vision, Mission, & Goals
• Board Members
• Workshops, Retreats & Events
• Speakers Bureau

About Veterans' Families United Foundation

Veterans' Families United, A Foundation providing Resources for Veterans and Their Loved Ones.

Veterans' Families United (VFU) was founded by 2006 Oklahoma Mother of the Year, Cynde Collins-Clark. Cynde’s son Joe, returned from active duty in Iraq with undiagnosed but severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In her quest for resources, psychotherapist Collins-Clark discovered that she needed significant education to find what would best serve her son’s painful recovery process. In order to educate herself, she had to become proactive and self-advocating since the resources she needed were not readily available. Collins-Clark also learned that many, if not all families of returning Veterans were in the same boat.

Vital and even life-saving resources were difficult to find. Returning vets with PTSD were ill prepared and sometimes incapable of advocating for themselves. Collins-Clark compassionately began to assemble a network of healing, educational and empowerment based tools for veterans and their families. This compilation is an ongoing project. Collins-Clark would like to create a community of support and service for a population that has supported and served America. She is diligently developing VFU while simultaneously taking care of her son.

Links with service organizations, therapeutic avenues, pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical treatment possibilities, funding sources, volunteer staff and veterans and their families in need, are welcome.

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Vision, Mission, and Goals

VISION: Empowerment of Veterans and their Loved Ones in the healing process

MISSION: Veterans’ Families United will provide gentle, accessible and holistic healing resources for Veterans

GOALS:

• VFU will provide referrals for therapies that serve veterans, their families and loved ones.
• VFU will offer regular retreats for veterans, their families and loved ones to provide opportunities to share experiences, integrate, grow, heal and form community.
• VFU will develop a web site with resources including articles, books, tools for healing, resources, networks, information of vital interest and service to veterans, their families and loved ones.
• VFU will cultivate a list of therapists willing to serve the community of veterans, their families and loved ones.
• VFU will offer workshops, seminars, presentations and programs of vital, healing interest to veterans, their families and their loved ones.
• VFU will sponsor ongoing groups so that veterans and all those affiliated with them are impacted by their suffering will have an opportunity to dialogue, connect, form community, recover and heal.
• VFU will provide holistic healing services, serving mind, body and spirit.
• VFU will document its outreach, the experiences of those served, and will make every effort to publicize this documentation so that many more will benefit.
• VFU will actively seek to generate improved health care services for veterans, their families and loved ones.
• VFU will promote an awareness of the true experience of veterans both in war and when they return to their homes and communities, thereby enhancing the deepest understanding of the magnitude of need for these populations.

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VFU Board Members

Cynde Collins-Clark, LPC, NCC Executive Director – mother of Iraqi War Veteran

Joe Collins, U.S. Army Reserve OIF Veteran

G. H. Chesher, Retired Teacher and Korean War Veteran Secretary

Connie Fox, Ph.D. – Licensed Professional Counselor

Stephanie Mines, Ph.D. – Founder, TARA Approach for the Resolution of Shock and Trauma

Sara Green – Counselor and mother of OEF Veteran

Christi Roney – Marketing Director, Health Supplement Company

Dorothy Hammert – Former OK Mother of the Year and wife of Korean War Veteran and Nutritional Supplement Sales

Walter Hammert – CPA and Korean War Veteran

Elizabeth Nichols – Attorney

Nelda Ferguson, Ph.D. – Psychologist and wife of WW 2 Veteran MIA.

Jack McCallister, 1st Lt. USMC, Vietnam Veteran

Tim Fannin - Marine, Gulf War Veteran

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Veterans' Families United Upcoming Workshops, Retreats and Events

Meetings

Click here to view all meeting dates and locations.

The REST House Proposal

Veterans' Families United Foundation has developed a Service Project Proposal for "The REST House" (Readjustment Environment and Service Transition).

This project is designed as a test/model that operates on the premise that PREVENTION and INTERVENTION for service members who present with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other related mental health problems after they return from active duty, is more honoring, hope filled and ultimately more cost effective than a lifetime of disability.

The current project calls for a live-in environment (slated for Oklahoma City, OK) for a small population of returning psychologically challenged veterans. It includes a phased and heavily researched alternative approach to reintegrating back into society.

If you or a veteran family member are interested in knowing more about the project, please contact us.

All financial resources for this research based project are PRIVATE. If you are interested in contributing to this Service Project and/or would like a copy of the proposal to review, please contact us.

It is our philosophy that the legacy of war, untreated, continues to perpetuate disease in our homes, our communities and our country. Untreated trauma is pervasive and debilitating for our veterans and their family members. The development and implementation of The REST House can provide research that may propel us into a deeper understanding of the true cost of war and help create accessible, gentle and unbiased options for healing to our wounded warriors and their families.

Contact us if you have questions or ideas.

The Veteran’s Day Fund Raiser

Veterans Day Fund Raiser becomes a Welcome Home Warrior Citizen Ceremony. Read more about it here.

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Speakers Bureau

Veterans' Families United has formed a Speakers Bureau to share our stories, hopes and projects with the community. While the effort is currently concentrated at a local level, our Speakers Bureau members are very willing to share their stories wherever there is an opportunity to do so. (Out of area speaking engagements would require that expenses are covered)

To inquire about our Bureau/Panel, please contact us.

Members of the Speakers Bureau are Veterans and family members from almost all conflicts who have faced the challenges of war related illness and can share stories of hope and encouragement.

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