Programs

  • Veteran Support Initiatives

    IN 2021, CHALLENGE AMERICA TOOK DRAMATIC STEPS TO ADVANCED ITS NATIONAL MISSION TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES. AT THE TURN OF THE NEW YEAR, CHALLENGE AMERICA CONCLUDED ITS YEAR-LONG COLLABORATION WITH THE VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM BY SHOWCASING THE TOP INNOVATIONS FROM ITS COVID-19 MAKER CHALLENGE PROGRAM SERIES DURING A SHARK TANK-STYLE EVENT DESIGNED TO CONNECT INNOVATORS WITH FUNDERS. BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, THESE EFFORTS HELPED CATAPULT THREE OR MORE PRODUCTS TO THE MARKETPLACE, WHERE THE INNOVATIONS CAN NOW BENEFIT VETERANS AND OTHERS. CHALLENGE AMERICA ALSO LAUNCHED A NEW NATIONAL INITIATIVE TO BUILD A COMMUNITY FOR VETERAN ARTS AND ARTISTS. LAUNCHED ON MARCH 15, THIS CAVARTS PROJECT GAINED MORE THAN 3,000 MEMBERS IN ITS FIRST TWELVE MONTHS, SPANNING ALL 50 STATES AND 15 COUNTRIES. CHALLENGE AMERICA CONTINUED TO GROW ITS MILITARY SISTERHOOD INITIATIVE, WITH MEMBERSHIP EXCEEDING 5,000 MEMBERS THIS YEAR. IN ADDITION, CHALLENGE AMERICA COLLABORATED WITH THE VA TO REDESIGN ITS MUSIC THERAPY PROGRAM AS AN ONLINE OFFERING, EMBARKING ON A YEAR-LONG PILOT PROJECT TO TEST AND THEN EXPAND THE PROGRAM. FINALLY, CHALLENGE AMERICA ORGANIZED, TRAINED, AND LED A GROUP OF SEVERELY DISABLED VETERANS TO THE TOP OF MT. ELBER, THE HIGHEST PEAK IN COLORADO.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2021 – Dec 31, 2021
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $379.4K

  • Program 1 [2024]

    AFTER COMPLETING A VERY SUCCESSFUL PILOT MUSIC THERAPY PROGRAM WITH THE VA, WE RECEIVED A 1 YEAR CONTRACT (WITH THE VA) TO CONDUCT 13 RETREATS IN 8 DIFFERENT RURAL AREAS, BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER 2023. EACH RETREAT ENROLLS 10 VETERANS WITH PTSD AND/OR MST. THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH GUITAR CENTER FOUNDATION, CHALLENGE AMERICA PROVIDES EACH PARTICIPANT WITH A FREE GUITAR, ACCESSORIES AND MATERIALS. ALL RETREAT CONTENT IS DESIGNED FROM A TRAUMA-INFORMED MUSIC THERAPY APPROACH. VETERANS CONNECT THROUGH A GROUP FORMAT WITH THE CA MUSIC THERAPIST AND A 1:1 FORMAT WITH A CA PROFESSIONAL SONGWRITER. VETERANS CO-WRITE A SONG OF THEIR CHOICE, WHICH IS THEN PERFORMED BY THE SONGWRITER (OR THE VETERAN) DURING A VIRTUAL CONCERT THAT FRIENDS AND FAMILY ARE INVITED TO ATTEND. OVER THE COURSE OF 24 WEEKS, EACH VETERAN PARTICIPANT WILL RECEIVE 32 HOURS OF VIRTUAL REAL-TIME SESSIONS. WE HAVE ALSO HAD GREAT SUCCESS IN GROWING OUR 2 ONLINE VETERAN PLATFORMS: MILITARY SISTERHOOD INITIATIVE (MSI) AND CHALLENGE AMERICA VETERANS ART COMMUNITY (CAVARTS). MSI HAS OVER 5,000 MEMBERS AND CAVARTS HAS CLOSE TO 6,000 MEMBERS. THESE COMMUNITIES PROVIDE A SAFE PLACE FOR VETERANS TO SHARE INFORMATION, BE CREATIVE AND COLLABORATE ON GOALS AND CONCERNS. IN ADDITION TO THESE PROGRAMS, LAST SEPTEMBER WE LED 5 VETERANS AND MANY VOLUNTEERS UP MT. ELBERT (THE HIGHEST 14ER SUMMIT OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS) FOR OUR CHALLENGE AMERICA MT. ELBERT CHALLENGE. THIS WAS AN AMAZING ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR OUR 5 VETERANS WHO SUFFER FROM CRPS, PTSD AND/OR MST, JUST TO NAME A FEW. WE ARE VERY PROUD OF WHAT CHALLENGE AMERICA HAS ACCOMPLISHED THIS PAST YEAR AND WE ARE WORKING HARD TO CONTINUE THIS AMAZING WORK FOR OUR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $494.8K