Celebrating 50 Years

Help Heal Vets Celebrates 50 Years

Explore the map below to see 50 veteran stories over 50 years of impact across 50 U.S. states.

Since our founding in 1971, Help Heal Veterans has provided over 31 million free therapeutic arts and crafts kits to veterans and veteran facilities nationwide and to active duty military overseas. These craft kits help injured and recuperating veterans improve fine motor skills and cognitive functioning, manage stress and substance abuse and cope with symptoms of PTSD and TBI, while also improving their sense of self-esteem and overall physical and mental health. Kits come in different categories, including woodworking, leather crafting, model building, a variety of needlecrafts, paint-by-numbers and many others, with the majority manufactured at our production center in Winchester, California. We are proud to have served America’s veterans for generations and look forward to 50 more years of healing.

“About three months into my hospitalization, I was introduced to the Heal Vets arts & crafts program. It was difficult at first because I couldn’t move my arm or my fingers, but they got me to try a paint-by-number kit. My first effort wasn’t very pretty, but I liked working on the kits because they kept my mind off my injuries.”

Todd Rauchr

U.S. Army Veteran, Alabama

“This craft kits pilot program has been a life saver both for our inpatient Veterans as well as those in the community, particularly as we have had to suspend those recreational activities from outside organizations during COVID-19.”

Dr. Sabrina Clark

Director, VA Voluntary Service

“I am a disabled combat veteran recently transitioned out of the Army, and I miss every second of it …These craft kits really help me with little achievements and a sense of accomplishment.”

Dustin Painter

U.S. Army Veteran, Texas