• Rotary Year: 2022-2023
  • Application Date: 6/30/2022
  • Club Name: Lynchburg
  • Project Name: National Center for Healthy Veterans Market Renovation Project
  • Project Total Expenditures: $35,700.00
  • Grant Amount Requested: $4,000.00
  • Describe the Project, its location and its objectives: The National Center of Healthy Veterans (NCHV) mission is to return healthy veterans to America by addressing health in terms of physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, and relational wellness, as well as focusing on basic life skills such as financial management, resilience, marriage and family wellness, and professional purpose and competency.

    In the last decade over 73,000 veterans have taken their lives, more than all the names on the Vietnam War Memorial. This tragic number increases by roughly 22 veterans a day. The community of Altavista and the City of Lynchburg are the center of the NCHV community living project. Working with 30 veteran service organizations through the Lynchburg Area Veterans Council, ten nonprofit organizations, and over 40 local companies and civic organizations, NCHV is building 100 tiny homes, a Wellness Center, and a Lodge at Valor Farm in Altavista, all of which serve veterans.

    The Healthy Veterans Market, which will be housed pre-existing 80 X 80-foot building on Route 29 on Valor Farm property, will be renovated to become a center for engagement between veterans and the local community. In the Healthy Veterans Market, veteran homegrown and handmade products will be displayed and sold to the community. It will have an open-air outlet with landscaped views and outdoor seating areas, and veterans will sell their vegetables, eggs, beef, and local produce, which they raise on Valor Farm, to the community. The Healthy Veterans Market will also sell veteran-made furniture, hardwood slab tables, rocking chairs, and art. There will also be opportunities for local citizens, veterans, and first responders to sells crafts and art in the Healthy Veterans Market as well. The primary objective is to provide Valor Farm residents a productive outlet for their farming and creative work, while providing them with socialization with other veterans and the community at large.
  • This is the Club’s: Primary Project Application
  • Expected Start Date: 8/15/2022
  • Expected End Date: 10/1/2022
  • Expected Number of Beneficiaries: 65000
  • Describe how the project will benefit the community and/or improve the lives of the less fortunate: The National Center for Healthy Veterans restores and replenishes the lives of traumatized veterans. Often their families, health, profession, and faith in support systems have been destroyed. This causes an erosion of Physical, Mental, Spiritual, Emotional, and Relational Health (PMSER) leading to shattered lives.

    While this may seem unrecoverable, most veterans can return as healthy future leaders in our communities. The NCHV’s experienced, multi-generational team creates an integrated veteran care ecosystem that changes the way services are offered. PMSER, combined with financial and professional wellness, is the focus of NCHV programs. The NCHV military, business, and behavioral sciences team, combined with local professionals, are uniting with local colleges and universities to create this ecosystem.

    The greater Lynchburg community is friendly, patriotic, industrious, and inherently supportive of veterans and first responders. They are a giving community and strongly supportive of civic engagement with veterans. Located in Altavista, The National Center for Healthy Veterans is in Phase 1 its building program, with the first 8 homes out of 20 and the Community Center in Village #1 complete. The remainder of the first 20-home village is being built throughout 2022. The National Center for Healthy Veterans will build a total of five villages consisting of a total of 100 homes with the capacity to house well over 150 people.

    This amazing terrain, named Valor Farm, provides a 12-month residential program in a natural healing environment where residents experience life skills focused training, renewed purpose, and restored balance between family, faith, profession, and wellness. The Healthy Veterans Market will play a major role in the NCHV 12-month residential program for veterans. After completion of the program, the National Center for Healthy Veterans sends veterans back into the community to serve, lead, teach, and work.
  • Estimated Total Project Volunteer Hours: 160
  • Describe the Rotarian hands-on activities in the project (i.e. non-financial participation): Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Lynchburg and the other six Rotary Clubs in Area 5 will be invited to volunteer in the Healthy Veterans Market Renovation Project, and afterwards for the ongoing operations of the Healthy Veterans Market. Hands-on volunteer opportunities during renovation include painting (70 hours), constructing display cases (45 hours), landscaping (15 hours), and general construction opportunities (30 hours). Ongoing operations volunteer opportunities include processing and preparing vegetables grown on Valor Farm for sale and working at the Healthy Veterans Market in various capacities, such as cashier or salesperson.
  • Describe the publicity plan to inform the general public that this is a Rotary sponsored project: The National Center for Healthy Veterans will partner with the Rotary Club of Lynchburg in publicizing Rotary's involvement with the Healthy Veterans Market. Each organization will promote the partnership and project via their individual websites and multiple social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. A press release will be sent to the local and regional media about the partnership and project. The Rotary Club of Lynchburg will be a key player in the Ribbon Cutting for the Healthy Veterans Market. A sign displaying the Rotary Wheel will also be included in the Healthy Veterans Market landscaping, symbolizing the National Center for Healthy Veterans and Rotary Club of Lynchburg’s partnership.
  • Cooperating Organizations – Please list each cooperating organization, if any: National Center for Healthy Veterans, located in Altavista, Virginia. Please visit www.healthyveterans.org for more information about the organization.
  • Letter(s) of Participation: NCHV_Lynchburg_Rotary_Club_Partnership_Letter.pdf
  • Project Expenditure Budget – list detail uses of funds for the project, or use the Budget Upload: See Budget Upload
  • Project Funding Budget – list detail sources of funds for the project, or use the Budget Upload: See Budget Upload
  • Budget Upload:Budget_National_Center_for_Healthy_Veterans_Market1.pdf
  • Primary Contact Name: Tom Illingworth
  • Primary Contact Rotary Position: Past President - Rotary Club of Lynchburg
  • Primary Contact Email: rowertom@hotmail.com
  • Primary Contact Phone: 434-420-1240
  • Financial Contact Name: William (Bill) Thomasson
  • Financial Contact Rotary Position: Treasurer - Rotary Club of Lynchburg
  • Financial Contact Address: 
    P. O. Box 11884
    Lynchburg, VA 24506
    United States View on Map
  • Financial Contact Email: wsthom@aol.com
  • Financial Contact Phone: 434-384-2723
  • District Grant Project Authorization LetterAuthorization_Letter_Rotary_Club_of_Lynchburg_2022.pdf
  • Grant Number: 2022-06
  • Grant Award: $4,000.00