Active Heroes non-profit strives to end Veteran suicide through activities, peer support and more.

Active Heroes non-profit strives to end Veteran suicide through activities, peer support and more.

Army Veteran Troy Yocum started Active Heroes non-profit because of his grandfather, a World War II Veteran. Yocum could not understand why his grandfather had taken his own life.

After his own deployment to Iraq, Yocum realized many Veterans silently struggle with depression and PTSD, similar to his grandfather.

Yocum hiked 7,800 miles across thirty-seven states to bring awareness to Veteran suicide. He called it the “Hike for Heroes.” In the process, he raised $1.3 million, which allowed him to launch Active Heroes. Yokum’s efforts earned him a Citizen Honors Medal in 2014.

Active Heroes Events

Free of charge to Veterans and military members, Active Heroes sponsors almost 500 annual events across the United States. Activities include, “Carry the Fallen,” where participants hike with a ruck to signify the burdens Veterans carry, Workouts of the Day hosted at gyms across the country, the 22 Pushup Challenge, Active Heroes 5k, Stand at Attention Competition, and Zumbathons.

Peer Mentors and other programs

Volunteers, who are Veterans, military members or part of a military family, are trained to be Active Heroes mentors by the suicide prevention organization, QPR Institute, to support struggling or potentially suicidal Veterans.

The Active Heroes Community Center is located in Louisville, Kentucky, within Louisville Athletic Club. It assists hundreds of Veterans and military family members every month. They also have a retreat center, located in Shepherdsville, Kentucky, open to military families free of charge. Visitors can schedule a day to visit the grounds during hours of staffing, schedule a cabin vacation, or sign up for selected camping dates with cookouts.

The non-profit also offers home repair assistance and educational scholarship opportunities, for which Veterans can apply.

Visit the Active Heroes website for more information.

The sharing of any non-VA information does not constitute an endorsement of the products and services on the part of the VA.

Kristen Reece (graphics), Alyssa Morford (editor) and Kaley Miller, student interns with VA’s Digital Media Engagement team, contributed to this report. 

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9 Comments

  1. Ana María P Douglas February 7, 2020 at 23:17

    I wonder if Active Heroes would like to offer Spanish classes for veterans. I taught Spanish for 27 years and I would volunteer to teach veterans.

  2. Paul M Munson February 7, 2020 at 03:12

    I’m 70% disabled vet with depression anxiety and ptsd from Texas what do y’all offer here?

  3. James Brinkman February 6, 2020 at 08:39

    Would like to know more about the events, about joining, and information on cabins in Kentucky.

  4. Jon Sias February 5, 2020 at 23:11

    How does one suggest an article for the weekly news letter?

  5. troop C February 5, 2020 at 22:13

    This is a great program; so are others classes and programs that the VA offers to veterans. But this won’t address my issues that I have with Psychological Harassment and Stalking that I experience on a daily bases. Stalking is a crime that causes constant anxiety and terrorizes the victim; me. This has resulted in nightmares, feeling depressed and feelings no one can help, eating disorders and sleeping. If I show up at an activity I will be followed or shadowed , my property has been vandalized and other activities that make makes me fear for my safety. I can not and have not convinced even my Phychologist that this happens to me. So I will just not go to the VA anymore; with hopes of plans to disappear.

  6. Robert Fonner February 5, 2020 at 21:32

    My name is Robert Fonner I’m a father of five and behind on my rent. I’ve reached out to a few other va programs with no reply. My son was on the hospital for over a week and my paycheck suffered. If there’s anyway you can help or have some resources I can try my family and I would be extremely greatfull.

    Thank you, God bless and semper fi

  7. Gerald Castillo February 5, 2020 at 20:35

    Being an 80% disabled vet, with ptsd, i would like more information. This is something i believe i need

  8. Mark Owen Henry February 5, 2020 at 19:58

    We’d like to contact the Active Heroes association about a possible collaboration.
    Mark Henry (redacted)
    .

Comments are closed.

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