“SoldierStrong has donated more than $5.5 million in revolutionary medical technology to medical facilities and individuals to date, but we’re far from done,” co-founder and chairman Chris Meek said. “Just as medical technology advances in recent years have produced life-changing results, we know that future breakthroughs are going to do the same in ways we might not even be able to imagine. The entire SoldierStrong organization and our supporters look forward to those breakthroughs. We’re committed to connecting veterans with them so that those men and women who have made such tremendous sacrifices to defend our freedom and liberties can live their fullest lives in the years ahead.”
Meek noted that the organization’s evolution into a national nonprofit coincides with the evolution of revolutionary medical technology that has helped veterans take their next steps forward in life. Years ago, SoldierStrong began to donate robotic exoskeletons to Veterans Administration medical centers and other healthcare facilities to aid in the physical rehabilitation of veterans experiencing mobility challenges due to paralysis, stroke, traumatic brain injury or other causes.
SoldierStrong has donated 30 exoskeletons, dubbed the SoldierSuit, to facilities and individuals across the country to help injured and paralyzed veterans stand and walk again. The burgeoning use of virtual reality to treat veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress led the organization to team with some of the nation’s leading experts in the field. As a result, SoldierStrong has also donated 30 BraveMind systems to VA facilities and trained clinical staff to optimize their results.
To help veterans take their next step forward by seeking more education, SoldierStrong’s SoldierScholar program has awarded more than $500,000 to 33 recipients, including nine females and one repeat recipient. SoldierScholar has funded fully endowed scholarships at Syracuse University, Georgetown University and Old Dominion University. The Old Dominion University scholarship is designated for women veterans studying science, technology, engineering or mathematics.
“SoldierStrong has enjoyed the support of many donors without whom we would not be able to change the lives of the veterans we serve. In particular, our partnerships with the Graham and Courtney Rahal Foundation, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and United Rentals stand out because of their generosity for the cause and compassion for those we serve,” Meek said. “United Rentals, which donates $50 to its Turns for Troops program for every lap that Graham Rahal completes in specific races through the IndyCar season, has raised more than $1.8 million in the past seven years to support the recovery of America’s injured veterans.”
