Barbara Van Dahlen, Ph.D.
There is so much that we can do to care for our returning troops and their families if we harness the resources in our great nation.
Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) November 06, 2013
Give an Hour™ (http://www.giveanhour.org), a national nonprofit organization providing free mental health services to members of the military, veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, their loved ones, and their communities, is proud to announce that its founder and president, Barbara Van Dahlen, Ph.D., has won a Manhattan Institute 2013 Social Entrepreneurship Award.
The Manhattan Institute’s annual Social Entrepreneurship Awards highlight privately supported programs that work effectively and change lives. The Social Entrepreneurship Awards recognize individuals who develop an original approach to dealing with a social problem.
“It is an honor to receive this prestigious award from the Manhattan Institute,” says Dr. Van Dahlen. “I appreciate the opportunity to raise awareness about the understandable—and sometimes devastating—consequences associated with the invisible injuries of war. I am very proud to share the recognition that this award brings with the 7,000 volunteer mental health professionals who have stepped up to provide critical mental health care and support to the men, women, and families who serve our country. Our generous network has provided over 95,000 hours of free support, education, and consultation, valued at $9.5 million." She adds, "There is so much that we can do to care for our returning troops and their families if we harness the resources in our great nation.”
Dr. Van Dahlen is one of four winners of the Richard C. Cornuelle Award for Innovation in Social Entrepreneurship, which carries a prize of $25,000 to each winning organization. Other winners are All Hands Volunteers, founded by David Campbell; Mama Foundation for the Arts, founded by Vy Higginsen; and Colorado Uplift, founded by Kent Hutcheson.
“This year, once again, we at the Manhattan Institute were inspired to find Americans building new private organizations to take on what some might think are intractable problems,” said the Manhattan Institute’s Howard Husock. “Our award winners have built new institutions—that’s what impresses the most.”
For more information about the Manhattan Institute’s Social Entrepreneurship Initiative, please visit http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/social_entrepreneurship.htm.
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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 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. As of August 2013, Give an Hour has nearly 7,000 providers across the nation—in all 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam—with more volunteer mental health professionals joining its network every day. In addition to counseling, providers also consult to schools, first responders, employers, and community organizations. Give an Hour has already provided approximately 95,000 hours of free service, valued at more than $9.5 million. To learn more, visit http://www.giveanhour.org or connected.giveanhour.org.
