IAVA Partners with EHE International on Veteran Mental Health Ad Campaign
New York, NY (PRWEB) April 02, 2015 -- Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) joined with EHE International to unveil its newest public awareness campaign at Rockefeller Plaza today with a message about helping veteran heroes who may exhibit the signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The window display, which is expected to be seen by more than 250,000 people every day, depicts service members and post-9/11 veterans as superheroes, with the message “Sometimes even heroes need help,” and directs the public to visit http://www.iava.org to find resources to help transitioning veterans.
The campaign epitomizes IAVA’s work as the leading veterans’ advocate for post-9/11 veterans after the organization helped spearhead, craft, introduce and pass the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans (SAV) Act last month, which increases access to quality mental health care and combats veteran suicide.
“More than 2.6 million brave men and women - including tens of thousands of New Yorkers - have served our country over the past 13 years, and we thank EHE International for providing us this remarkable space to recognize their service. There is perhaps no better place for us to salute these men and women than in the city that inspired many of them to enlist after that harrowing day in September 2001,” said IAVA CEO and Founder Paul Rieckhoff. “IAVA is proud to display this new campaign to the thousands of people who visit Rockefeller Plaza each day. Our veterans are indeed heroes, but they are not infallible. Some of us need help but are too proud or stubborn to ask. This campaign encourages the public to recognize the signs of PTSD in their friends and loved ones returning from war, and assist them finding the help they need. As the first and largest veteran empowerment organization for post-9/11 veterans, IAVA has a vast array of resources at its disposal to help veterans deal with mental health challenges and connect them with others in the community. Our veterans are not a charity; they are an investment. As the war in Afghanistan comes to an end, it is imperative Americans remember the sacrifices of the post-9/11 veterans and continue to support them in their transition home. Being a hero doesn’t mean they have to suffer alone. Whether veterans are struggling with mental health care, unemployment, or VA health care challenges, IAVA has their back.”
“EHE international is delighted to make this gift to IAVA. Through education, advocacy and community building IAVA empowers a generation of veterans who provide sustainable leadership for our country and their communities,” says Deborah McKeever, President of EHE International.
IAVA offers free membership to veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Interested veterans and supporters can visit iava.org/#join to sign up today. The organization also has an in-house case management team, the Rapid Response Referral Program (RRRP), where caseworkers help connect veterans facing transition-related challenges - including mental health challenges - to resources. Whether it is thinking about school, needing help navigating the VA, or confronting significant challenges like unemployment, financial or legal struggles, or homelessness, IAVA’s Veteran Transition Managers get veterans the services they need fast.
IAVA is also a lion on the policy front in Washington, D.C. Over the past 10 years, the organization has grown to become the leading advocate for veterans of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. IAVA has put top issues for veterans on the map and jump-started historic changes, including passage of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, funding for health care at the VA, the VOW to Hire Heroes Act, the Clay Hunt SAV Act and other efforts to combat veteran suicide, and, in 2014, a national focus on the high VA disability claims backlog.
Artist Todd Allen of Prototype Advertising created the ad and Jay Embree of Proforma Signature Solutions served as production designer.
About IAVA
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (http://www.IAVA.org) is the leading post-9/11 veteran empowerment organization (VEO) with the most diverse and rapidly growing membership in America. Celebrating its 10th year anniversary, IAVA recently received the highest rating - four-stars - from Charity Navigator, America's largest charity evaluator.
About EHE International
EHE International is celebrating over 100 years as the recognized leader in preventive medicine with the release of a new book, 100 Years of Preventive Health: The History of EHE International. Established in 1913, EHE International is America’s largest and most experienced preventive medicine specialist and the preferred choice among employers for the prevention and early detection of disease and associated risk factors. For more information, contact EHE International, 10 Rockefeller Plaza, 4th Floor, New York, New York 10020; 212.332.3700; visit http://www.eheintl.com.
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Contact for EHE International:
Nicolas Danielides
Danielides Communications
212-319-7566
nick(at)danielides(dot)net
Contact for IAVA:
Mark Szymanski
212-982-9699
press(at)iava(dot)org
Gretchen Andersen, Iraq And Afghanistan Veterans of America, 9173264003, [email protected]
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