As one of the nation's thought leaders in the #Moralinjury field, we dedicate our efforts in helping individuals who are battling with moral injury to overcome #TheWarInside.
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Volunteers of America touches the lives of almost 1.5 million people in 400 communities across the United States each year. Since 1896, our highly-trained and dedicated staff, numbered at over 16,000, and volunteer corps have worked, not only to serve those in need, but also have strived to innovate and transform the way in which these services are delivered.
Moral injury is a relatively recent term used to describe a crisis that soldiers have faced for centuries, the internal suffering that results from doing something against your moral code. In essence it is a wound to the conscience. However, it is not just military members that can experience this. And what is this?
It is soul anguish, a broken spirit, a shredded soul.
Anyone who works with marginalized, at-risk populations has probably seen that empty stare that can be moral injury. People in poverty. People struggling with addiction. People whose daily lives and their choices erode their feeling of being a good and decent person, worthy of respect. People who carry unprocessed grief and guilt in ordinary life. People with stressful life-and-death type situational jobs such as police officers, doctors and nurses. Because of things we do, witness, are ordered to do, or fail to do in high stakes situations. We can lose our moral foundations and our sense of being a good person.
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Our Fact Sheet
Learn MoreSince 1896, through hundreds of human service programs, including housing and healthcare, Volunteers of America helps 1.5 million people in over 400 communities in 46 states.
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Housing Fact Sheet
Learn MoreWe have over 20,000 affordable housing units in urban complexes, small rural developments, elderly housing, multifamily housing and housing for those with disabilities.
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Veterans Fact Sheet
Learn MoreWe proudly serve more than 27,000 veterans with support services and affordable housing, including over 10,000 homeless veterans.
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April 15, 2020Players from the National Hockey League and Gaming Influencers Compete in Virtual Hockey at Home to Benefit COVID-19 Relief Efforts
A 14-day livestreaming virtual hockey marathon, Hockey2Help, begins today to benefit the COVID-19 relief efforts of Second Harvest (Canada) and Volunteers of America. Both organizations are working tirelessly in delivering essential services to seniors and the most vulnerable in communities across Canada and the U.S.
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March 16, 2020Volunteers of America, Caring for Seniors Across the U.S. During a Pandemic
Volunteers of America is an organization dedicated to helping people thrive and live strong, healthy lives. As such, we take the threat posed by the coronavirus (COVID-19) extremely seriously, especially among residents living in our long-term and nursing care communities.
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December 17, 2019Frances Hesselbein to Serve as Honorary Chairperson of Volunteers of America’s 125th Anniversary
Frances Hesselbein has agreed to serve as honorary chairperson of Volunteers of America’s 125th Anniversary events in 2021. Hesselbein served as chairman of the National Board of Directors for Volunteers of America from 2002 to 2006 and, in 2013, was awarded the organization’s highest honor—the Maude Booth Legacy Award for a lifetime of pioneering social change.
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June 11, 2020Sharon Wilson-Geno, EVP National Services, on KCBS radio
Hear from our Executive VP, National Services, Sharon Wilson-Geno on what a second wave of the virus could mean to our older population, and how VOA continues to be on the frontlines of the coronavirus crisis.
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May 29, 2020Volunteers of America Featured on ABC 7 in Washington, D.C.!
Our very own Jatrice Martel Gaiter, executive vice president of external affairs, spoke with ABC-7 WJLA Anchor Alison Starling on our life-saving work during the COVID-19 pandemic, including addressing the effects of moral injury during this crisis.
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May 10, 2020Dr. Rita Brock Interview on CNN: Moral Injury & COVID-19
Sr. VP of Moral Injury and Dir. of the Shay Moral Injury Center at Volunteers of America, Dr. Rita Brock spoke to CNN Brooke Baldwin on how moral injury affects nurses, healthcare workers and many others during the COVID-19 pandemic.