Contact: Nicholle Granger
ngranger@voaches.org
March 7, 2023 Burke, VA
Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas (VOACC) is proud to announce that we have been awarded $750,000 by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs to launch the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox (SSG Fox) Suicide Prevention Program, a community-based outreach and prevention program designed to reduce suicide risk and improve the mental health and wellbeing of veterans and their families in need.
As part of the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 that was signed into law on October 17, 2020, the SSG Fox Program honors the life and service of Veteran Parker Gordon Fox, who died of suicide on July 21, 2020, at the age of 25. Fox was a former sniper instructor at the U.S. Army Infantry School at Ft. Benning, GA, and his experience and life of generosity and kindness to others inspired the launch of the program in support of our nation’s heroes.
The SSG Fox Program will offer a range of services to veterans and their families, including mental health screenings, education on suicide risk and prevention, emergency treatment, case management, outreach engagement, VA benefits assistance, social benefits assistance, and assistance accessing healthcare and other community services. The program’s aim is to provide a comprehensive support system for veterans and their families, empowering them to overcome challenges and achieve long-term wellbeing.
“We are honored to launch the SSG Fox Suicide Prevention Program and to offer support to those who have served our country,”
said Caprice Brown, Vice President of Virginia Programs.
“We recognize the unique challenges that veterans and their families face, and we are committed to providing the resources and support they need to thrive.”
The SSG Fox Program will serve eligible veterans and their families in over 34 counties and cities across Virginia. To learn more about the program, please visit voachesapeake.org/ssgfox.
About Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas
Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas (“VOACC”) is a faith-based, nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire self-reliance, dignity, and hope through housing, health and human services.
At VOACC, we have been helping to create Healthy Communities for All for over 127 years by aligning housing, health and human services. We actively pursue health equity by filling the gap in housing and care for underserved populations, including those who are experiencing homelessness, low-income, underinsured or uninsured, justice-involved and veterans. By offering integrated housing and care, we address the social determinants that impact the long-term stability for those in need.
Through a dedicated team of management, staff and volunteers who are guided by our Core Values – Visionary, One Body, Integrity, Compassion, Excellence, and Faith – we are the safety net for thousands of men, women and children each year across Maryland, the District of Columbia, Virginia and the Carolinas. We operate over 49 programs focused on 8 areas of service: homeless services, affordable housing, mental health, substance use recovery, intellectual/developmental disabilities services, community re-entry, veteran services and workforce development.
VOACC has over 900 staff members and more than 2,000 volunteers. The organization helps over 10,600 individuals and families every year from Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia and the Carolinas. For more information on VOACC, please visit www.voachesapeake.org.