Purple Heart Foundation Announces Partnership with Veterans Moving Forward to Provide Service Dogs to Veterans

WASHINGTON , March 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Purple Heart Foundation is honored to announce its partnership with Veterans Moving Forward, a Dulles-based nonprofit that provides Service and/or Emotional Support dogs to Veterans with physical and/or mental health challenges at no cost to the veteran or their family.  

The partnership between Veterans Moving Forward and the Purple Heart Foundation will work to expand the mission of both organizations by directly addressing quality of life issues for veterans suffering from combat injuries and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The partnership aims to provide veterans and possibly combat wounded veterans with the crucial resource of a service dog as a means of therapy to help cope with the daily physical and/or mental challenges they face. 

Veterans Moving Forward will use their expert knowledge and resources, backed financially by the Purple Heart Foundation to instruct, and skillfully train a puppy into becoming a service dog. They will provide a nurturing, and loving environment so that the dog can become a loyal companion to the veteran selected. Once the service dog's training has been completed, Veterans Moving Forward will match the service dog with a veteran in need of the invaluable support a service dog will contribute to their life.

"The Purple Heart Foundation is excited to partner with Veterans Moving Forward to provide highly trained service dogs to combat wounded and/or disabled veterans," said Stephen Ruckman, CEO of Purple Heart Foundation. "The therapeutic benefit of service animals is life-changing for a veteran in need. We are thrilled to work with Veterans Moving Forward to help those who have sacrificed so much for our nation."

About Veterans Moving Forward:
Veterans Moving Forward, Inc., is a 501c3 nonprofit whose HQ and Training Center is located in Dulles, VA. Our not-for-profit provides service and emotional support dogs to veterans dealing with physical and/or mental health challenges at no cost to the veteran or their family. We serve all veterans from all branches of service, combat, and noncombat injuries, regardless of periods of service. If a veteran is wounded, lost a leg due to diabetes, dealing with PTSD, or any other mental or physical challenge, we will engage with them and their medical providers to see if one of our dogs can help the veteran to be able to "Move Forward" with their lives.

About Purple Heart Foundation
For over 60 years, the Purple Heart Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization has helped fund programs and services to ease the transition from the battlefield to the homefront for veterans nationwide. Through grants, academic scholarships, and outreach programs, the Foundation makes direct contributions to veterans facing exceptionally difficult financial challenges, as well as lending support to other organizations whose programs align with Purple Heart's mission.  The mission of the Purple Heart Service Foundation is to enhance the quality of life of Purple Heart recipients and other honorably discharged veterans and their families. 

Questions about the partnership may be directed to Purple Heart Foundation, at [email protected] or via phone at (703) 256-6139.

SOURCE Purple Heart Foundation