Wounded Warrior's #IMEANIT Campaign Seeks Support for Severely Injured Service Members

• By Laurie Watanabe
• Apr 18, 2014

For many members of America's armed forces, the challenges don't stop once they leave the battlefield.

That's why Wounded Warrior Project's new #IMEANIT campaign seeks to draw attention to the ongoing needs of the nation's most severely injured service members.

The non-profit organization has committed $30 million in 2014 to support 250 service members.

In a news announcement, Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) pointed out that these service members will need a lifetime of support.

The #IMEANIT campaign calls for members of the public to sign a pledge advocating for veterans' benefits and other support for injured service members. Participants are invited to download a free "I Mean It" icon to embed into their Web sites, blogs and social media.

"For 10 years Wounded Warrior Project has been committed to helping returning warriors fight the battle back home, to ensure they get the care, attention and support they deserve," says WWP's CEO, Steve Nardizzi. "For some of the most severely injured, it will be a lifelong battle, one that must be supported by their families, communities and the American public. When we say WWP is committed for a lifetime, we mean it, and we are calling on the nation that these warriors served and sacrificed for to pledge their commitment as well."

WWP has two initiatives for severely wounded service members. The Independence Program works with the affected service member and his or her support system to create a unique plan for the future based on the service member's areas of interest and personal goals, such as speech and literacy training, mental health counseling, and developing career and leadership skills.

The second initiative, the Long-Term Support Trust, ensures that services such as home care and transportation would remain available even if the service member were to lose the support of his or her caregivers. By providing additional supportive resources, the Long-Term Support Trust aims to help service members to stay in their homes and communities rather than moving into institutions.

By 2017, WWP aims to support more than 1,000 service members in the Long-Term Support Trust and more than 1,100 service members through the Independence Program.

"For many warriors, the battle continues long after they return home from conflict," Nardizzi says. "They discover that the help they thought they would receive doesn't even begin to cover what they really need. That is why WWP is not just committed for today or tomorrow, but for a lifetime."

Click HERE to sign the #IMEANIT pledge to support Wounded Warriors.