Operation Second Chance Inc

We are patriotic citizens committed to serving our wounded, injured and ill combat veterans. We support Veterans and their families while they recover in military hospitals, by building relationships and identifying and supporting immediate needs and interests. We are dedicated to promoting public awareness of the many sacrifices made by our Armed Forces.

Operation Second Chance serves soldiers and marines receiving or recently completing long-term rehabilitative care at one of the larger national military hospitals, such as Walter Reed National Medical Military Center in Bethesda, MD. Our programs are designed for the benefit of the entire family.

We contribute to lasting, meaningful change by providing a spectrum of support for our families that addresses immediate needs and prepares them for their future. 1) Our financial assistance helps them with their current household crisis. 2) Our retreats help to heal our soldiers’ inner wounds and realign their lives to new horizons. 3) Our local activities reconnect service members with their families and build community with other families in similar situations. 4) Our mentoring and internship programs prepare injured service members for the challenges they will continue to face in the years to come.

Our strategic program portfolio includes a spectrum of activities designed to provide holistic solutions for wounded service members in crisis and their families:
• The Essential Daily Assistance and Airfare Program—direct financial assistance and travel funding for special situations
• No Person Left Behind—fully accessible sport outings for disabled combat veterans
• Operation Giving Back—internships for soldiers and their spouses re-entering the workforce or retraining for new careers
• Retreats and Day Trips—opportunities for families to re-bond after deployment
• Hospital Visitations—for staff and volunteers to meet with wounded, ill or injured service members and provide them with encouragement and support
Through a combination of these services, each family is provided with an immediate and supportive community, guidance through the changes they are experiencing, and a plan for the future.

Operation Second Chance serves soldiers from all over the U.S. and has established regional operations in a dozen communities. OSC draws on the expertise and resources of over 90 committed volunteers and receives over $100,000 of in-kind services annually. Our volunteers serve as mentors, retreat organizers, outing escorts, hospital visitors, legal advocates, administrative assistants, fundraisers and others. We collaborate with dozens of community partners to serve our families. Every year we continue to add to our growing roster of caring individuals, corporations, service clubs, churches, social agencies and others who lend service to our programs and provide financial or other program support.

We are excited about the recent growth of OSC into communities across the United States that helps us bring our programs to Veterans and need and maintain the in-depth and personal quality of our services. We have recently expanded our retreat program and we have begun replicating our hospital visitation program, first implemented at Walter Reed, at other larger military hospitals in Texas, Tampa and are currently working to establish a relationship in California. Our national board has stepped up to formalize and refine our internal financial processes and program quality controls to facilitate our growth, and each year our fundraising exceeds the year before. We have expanded our staff to reflect our growth and expected increase in demand for near-term and long-term services. Our commitment to our nation’s wounded veterans will continue after the war’s end. We are preparing now to extend our outreach to soldiers and their families over the long-term and adapt our services to the changing needs of our communities. We will never forget our nation’s military heroes.