Mountain Valor secures $350K grant for veteran suicide prevention
While Mountain Valor does not provide clinical or mental health treatment, it does aim to address factors that are primary drivers of veteran suicide risk, such as isolation, unmet basic needs, and disconnection from resources.
Mountain Valor Services has received a grant of more than $350,000 from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to support a full year of community-based suicide prevention services for veterans and their families in Floyd, Montgomery, Pulaski, Franklin, Carroll, Patrick, and Wythe counties.
Mountain Valor is one of a select group of community-based organizations nationwide receiving funding through the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program (SSG Fox SPGP) for fiscal year 2027.
"Rural veterans in Southwest Virginia have been carrying too much for too long, and too many of us have been doing it alone," said Kathryn Whittenberger, executive director of Mountain Valor Veteran Services and Navy veteran. "This grant means we can expand how we show up for our brothers and sisters in arms, in the way they deserve: in person, where the need is, with real resources, and the kind of follow-through that catches people who are falling through the cracks."
We offer locally sourced, insect and rot resistant hemlock, and lots of other species for just about any project.
We also can provide firewood, kindling, mulch, sawdust, and shavings.
Inside we produce paneling and flooring in various, often rustic local woods.
Come by or call Stacy
276-692-8754
Veterans across the region face structural and cultural barriers to care. Many communities lack reliable transportation and functional internet service, while benefits information remains primarily online or available at the VA medical centers. Rural veterans in particular often take pride in their independence and ability to push through challenges, and many distrust institutions. As a result, some avoid the VA and state veteran services, or don't realize they are eligible for either. Research consistently shows that most veterans who die by suicide had not recently used VA health care options.
SSG Fox SPGP will help Mountain Valor reach more veterans who are not connected to the VA. While Mountain Valor does not provide clinical or mental health treatment, it does aim to address factors that are primary drivers of veteran suicide risk, such as isolation, unmet basic needs, and disconnection from resources. To connect with veterans in need, Mountain Valor meets them wherever they or their family members feel comfortable. The organization then creates a personalized roadmap for each veteran and stays alongside them until the work is done.
G.J. Ingram & Son
Fuel, Farm & Home Supplies
Proudly Serving Floyd County for 80 years!
2107 Floyd Hwy North, Floyd VA
540-745-3201
"Mountain Valor has helped our family understand the benefits, both for my husband, a Navy veteran, but also our children and myself," said Latima Good of Floyd. "Having access to those benefits has relieved so much of our stress, and knowing we can always reach out with more questions or if a new situation arises gives us a deep sense of confidence that we will have the help we need when we need it."
Since its founding in 2024, Mountain Valor has reached more than 3,000 veterans across the region and served more than 1,200 in person.
Learn more about the nonprofit's services at www.mtnvalor.org.
MOUNTAIN VALOR IN THE NEWS
