A mother's heart touches America's wounded warriors

William B. Ketter “We care about what happens to them,” says Robin Kelleher, proud wife of a Marine officer. “I know that sounds simple, but it is the core of everything we do.”



It does not sound the least bit simple to the hundreds of families of fallen and wounded soldiers who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and have receive help from Kelleher’s “Hope for the Warriors” organization.



“They showed commitment, courage and sacrifice by going to war,” says Kelleher, the group’s president. “Our mission is to make sure they’re not forgotten; that their physical and emotional needs don’t fall through the cracks.”



Kelleher and fellow Marine spouse Shannon Maxwell, whose husband was severely wounded in Iraq, founded Hope for the Warriors (www.hopeforthewarriors.org) at Camp Lejeune, N.C., three years ago to assist military families get beyond the blood and tears of war.



Today, the nonprofit organization has offices in New York City and the Washington, D. C., area as well as Camp Lejeune – with plans to expand to Texas and other locations with heavy concentration of military families.



For the most part, military spouses operate the offices, identifying families and individuals with unmet needs and providing assistance ranging from vacations to specially equipped vans to temporary housing.



There is no shortage of need. More than 5,000 U.S. soldiers have died in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars thus far. Another 35,000 have returned home seriously wounded, many without arms, legs, sight and hearing.



Hope for the Warriors' aim, said Kelleher, is to help the most needy heal from the scars of war by offering assistance that enhances their quality of life over both the short and long terms.



They do so with these primary programs:



A Warrior’s Wish. Families apply for funding for a dream need. Wishes have been granted for, among other things, new homes, vacations, custom-made golf clubs and special wheelchairs.



Above and Beyond. A professional development program that provides counseling and workshops to help wounded war veterans pursue their career goals, and realize “hope beyond recovery.”



Spouse Scholarships. Five-thousand dollar scholarships for the spouses of fallen and wounded soldiers to help finance a college education or to learn a skill at a trade school. Recipients can qualify for up to $20,000 over a four-year period.



Warrior House. Provides temporary guest housing for the families of war veterans until they permanently relocate. A companion program provides housing for family members who visit their wounded relatives during hospitalization.



Immediate Needs. This includes things such as rental cars, child care, clothing, furniture, groceries, lodging and other daily requirements.



In every instance, said Kelleher, Hope for the Warriors seeks to relieve the stress and unexpected expenses that many families of returning war veterans experience. Often they do so with the help of community businesses and civic organizations.



“We could not have the impact that we have had without community involvement,” said Kelleher. “It is essential to meeting the unmet needs of the fallen and wounded, but also to our fund-raising efforts.”



Hope for the Warriors has been on a fast path. It has grown from a budget of a few thousand dollars at the start to $2 million this year. The money comes from donations and charity events such as road races, golf tournaments and award dinners. Only 8 percent of the proceeds go for administrative costs, said Kelleher.



“We’re proud of our early success, and we’re determined to have an even greater impact,” said the 44-year-old mother of two who grew up in a military family. Her father and grandfather were Army colonels.



She knows first-hand about the physical and mental anguish of war. Her husband, Patrick Kelleher, served three tours of duty in Iraq as a lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corps. He recently completed additional training at the national War College in Rhode Island, and will soon be promoted to full colonel.



The federal government, said Kelleher, is doing an improved job of caring for the families of fallen and wounded war veterans, “but there is a great deal that the Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration can’t always do. Everyday needs, things that don’t fit a category, things that slip by. That’s where we come in.”



Her organization’s purpose, she said, “is to help the families of our heroes who have died or been injured to lead healthy, happy lives. And to do so with with the heart of a mother.”



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William B. Ketter is the vice president/news for Community Newspaper Holdings Inc., a Birmingham, Ala.-based media company with news outlets in 23 states. Contact him at wketter@cnhi.com.