The Purple Heart Project's (PHP) mission is to introduce physically and mentally combat Wounded Warriors still suffering from the negative effects of combat to the peace and joy that can be found through the therapy of traditional hand tool woodworking. PHP accomplishes our mission by annually providing 42 combat Veterans with a PHP scholarship to attend Rob Cosman’s Training the Hand Workshop in Grand Bay, New Brunswick, Canada. In addition to paying for the tuition, PHP provides all the travel, lodging, and provides each Veteran with a premium set of hand tools to keep. Upon returning home from the workshop, the PHP’s Bench Brigade builds and delivers a premium workbench to each combat Wounded Warrior. This is a positive and life-changing experience for the combat Wounded Warriors we serve and our donors alike. Our donors share in the transformational healing process that PHP enables and become part of the PHP team.
Unfortunately, In 2023, PHP only raised enough money to fund about 75% of our program’s financial requirements. In 2024 we expect costs to rise. As we leave 2023 and ring in 2024 we invite all our supporters to join us in serving combat Wounded Warriors by making a generous donation to PHP via our easy-to-use donation website or by mail. All U.S. donations are tax deductible and Canadian donations will soon be tax deductible. We encourage you to consider setting up a reoccurring monthly donation on our website and become a sustaining member of the PHP team. We guarantee it will be a positive life-changing experience.
Those who personally witness the transformational healing that PHP ignites in combat Wounded Warriors are PHP’s biggest supporters. However, one of our major challenges is connecting with folks who cannot personally witness the positive effects of PHP, but whose support we need. How do we convey the positive effect PHP has on the lives of combat Veterans? We thought we would give you an example of the impact PHP has by telling Pete’s story.
Pete is a Vietnam War Veteran and combat Wounded Warrior who received a PHP scholarship to attend Rob’s Training the Hand Workshop in October 2019. On the first day of the workshop as we were issuing the PHP scholarship selectees their premium tool kits, Pete had a hardened and questioning look on his face. Something was just “off” with Pete. Pete had never received much thanks for his service and only skeptically accepted his PHP scholarship, thinking this was all too good to be true and that there were certainly ulterior motives somewhere. As the PHP tools piled up on his workbench, it became too much for Pete to bear. He rushed outside the workshop and burst into tears where no one would see him.
After regaining his composure, Pete came back into the workshop and said, “I just don’t understand…” and once again he began to cry. “How can this be real? I’ve been searching for “the catch” and I just cannot believe you don’t have one.” When Pete came home from Vietnam, he was not welcomed by a grateful nation like our soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen are today. PHP, and all who support PHP had the great honor of welcoming Pete home and helping heal those scars from years ago. Needless to say, the rest of the week was a life-changing event for Pete, everyone else in the workshop, and all the donors who made Pete’s PHP scholarship possible. We invite you to visit our “Wall of Heros” on our PHP website at www.ThePurpleHeartProject.org and see Pete and the many other combat Wounded Warriors that have been helped by the PHP team.
As we begin 2024, we are asking those who care about combat Wounded Warriors and want to make a positive difference in them to donate to PHP. Our military heros deserve to come home and find healing and peace from their combat service. Every dollar you give is key in aiding PHP to help combat Veterans. Please join the PHP team today by signing up for a reoccurring monthly donation and giving back to those who have given so much.