Give an Hour™ Receives $400,000 Grant From the Lilly Foundation

WASHINGTON, Oct. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Give an Hour™, a national nonprofit organization providing free mental health services to veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, their loved ones, and their communities announces a $400,000 grant from the Eli Lilly and Company Foundation.

The Lilly Foundation first awarded a one million dollar grant jointly to Give an Hour™ and the American Psychiatric Foundation (APF) in May 2008 to help develop the Give an Hour™ network and to build a public education campaign addressing military mental health issues.  The current grant is awarded to Give an Hour™ is a continuation of those efforts and provides support for general operations.

"Through Lilly's generosity we have done great work with the American Psychiatric Foundation to raise awareness about the psychological impact of war, to reduce stigma, and to raise awareness about Give an Hour™'s services," said Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, founder and president of Give an Hour™.  "With Lilly's continued commitment to this issue, we can extend our efforts to help military men and women and their families.  This grant will help us continue our work to normalize what our military personnel and their families are experiencing and support the sacrifices that they are making by providing critical and confidential mental health support at no cost."

"We are indebted to the Eli Lilly and Company Foundation for their continued support of military mental health education and services. We are very proud of our partnership with Give an Hour™," said Paul T. Burke, Executive Director of APF.

Give an Hour™'s licensed volunteer mental health professionals are available—in all 50 states. They are volunteering free counseling services to active duty service members, members of the National Guard and Reserve forces, and veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan who have separated or retired from any branch of military service. Give an Hour™ is also offering free services to parents, siblings, unmarried partners, grandparents—in short anyone who loves someone affected by the current wars.

By providing services that are separate from the military establishment, Give an Hour™ offers an essential option for men and women who might otherwise fail to seek or receive appropriate services. There is no paperwork; no insurance claims need to be filed, and no money changes hands. Give an Hour™'s services are absolutely free and there is no limit to the number of sessions one can receive.  As of August, Give an Hour™ has already provided over 30,000 hours of free service, valued at more than $3 million.

About Give an Hour™

Give an Hour™ is a nonprofit 501(c)(3), founded in September 2005 by Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, a psychologist in the Washington, D.C., area. The organization's mission is to develop national networks of volunteers capable of responding to both acute and chronic conditions that arise within our society. Currently, Give an Hour™ is dedicated to meeting the mental health needs of military personnel, their families, and the communities affected by the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Give an Hour™ currently has more than 5,000 providers across the nation—in all 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam—and  continues to recruit volunteer mental health professionals to its network. In addition to counseling, providers also consult to schools, first responders, employers, and community organizations. To learn more, visit www.giveanhour.org.

About the American Psychiatric Foundation

The American Psychiatric Foundation (APF) is the charitable and public education subsidiary of the American Psychiatric Association (APA). At the American Psychiatric Foundation (APF), our mission is to advance public understanding of mental illnesses. We promote awareness of mental illnesses and the effectiveness of treatment, the importance of early intervention, access to care and the need for high quality services and treatment through a combination of grants, programs, research funding and awards. Our work reaches businesses, schools and community organizations that are committed to educating the public about mental illnesses.

SOURCE Give an Hour