THE WARRIOR CONNECTION INC
The mission is over, the inner journey continues.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The Warrior Connection (TWC) provides residential retreats and services to veterans and their families to heal the invisible wounds incurred in uniform. TWC's program eases the suffering of veterans and their families struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or military sexual trauma (MST). Our program helps prevent suicide and divorce while supporting improvement in the five key areas of well-being (physical health, friends & family, community, career, and financial).
TWC retreats are veteran led and backed by neuroscience and analysis. The program combines ancient warrior cultural traditions with modern science-based analysis, mindfulness techniques, trauma-sensitive exercise, outdoor nature activities, elements of individual counseling (CBT), group coaching (GCBT), and the expressive arts to address and release the causes of PTSD or MST.
TWC helps veterans and their families break the cycle of suffering so the healing begins and can continue.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
The Warrior's Journey Retreat - Male Military Veterans
At TWC, we help veterans discover that they are not their PTSD. We help Vets replace anger, frustration, and loss of compassion for yourself and others with simple yet powerful techniques for re-creating balance and harmony in their life so they can be more of the man, father, husband and community contributor that they can and want to be.
Our retreats are run by Veterans, teamed with licensed clinicians and Veteran mentors. Activities and discussions are voluntary as actions focus on the individual. Although some may not choose to participate in all events, the safe military mentoring and guidance, along with the group dynamic, encourage individuals to be involved and work together.
Support for retreat graduates continues after the retreat with follow-up meetings and community-based personal growth.
The Warior's Journey Retreats - Female Veterans
At TWC, you will discover that you are not your PTSD or MST and we can help you replace the anger, isolation, frustration, and loss, with compassion for yourself and others. You will learn simple yet powerful techniques for creating balance and harmony in your life so you can be more of the women, mother, wife, and community contributor that you want to be.
Our women’s retreats are lead by female Veterans, teamed with licensed clinicians and Veteran mentors to conduct our unique programming. Activities and discussions are voluntary, and activities focus on the individual. At times, some may choose not to participate. Although the safe military mentoring and guidance, along with the group, encourage individuals to be involved and work together.
Support for retreat graduates continues after the retreat with follow-up meetings and community-based personal growth.
Military Spouse Retreats
Whether you are or were married to a Veteran, this retreat is for a spouse, partner, or any other family member that is in a significantly close relationship with a Veteran. At our spouse retreat, a person who longs to discover who we are beneath the role of intimate partner—in that place where we can find our individuality and live from that place—can begin or continue moving toward a greater sense of self.
In the company of other spouses who have lived with a Veteran’s PTS, the atmosphere and program offer a haven to explore creative ways to self-reflect, self-express, self-nourish, and self-care from a kind, loving and real place.
While absolutely no artistic ability is required, the expressive arts provide a robust and fun tool to access inner wisdom and give you your unique voice. Here you can discover and reawaken that part of yourself that yearns to be creative, expressive, and reconnected with your spouse and your joy!
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of donations made by board members
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Context - describing the issue we work on
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
We ask and expect that each of our board members makes a meaningful gift to the Org each year that reflects TWC as one of their top three philanthropic causes.
Number of program/model/intervention innovations
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Families, Veterans, Military personnel, Emergency responders
Type of Metric
Context - describing the issue we work on
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
TWC provides three specific innovative in-person program services to male and female veterans and military spouses.
Number of public events held to further mission
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Families, Veterans, Military personnel
Type of Metric
Context - describing the issue we work on
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Additionally, TWC participates in various community engagement events with the VA, Vet Centers, and localized partners like regional VFW's, American Legions, college campuses, and military posts.
Number of participants counseled
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Families, Veterans, Military personnel
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Year over year, TWC continues to engage and support more and more service members in our programs.
Number of clients served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Families, Veterans, Military personnel
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Year over year, TWC continue to grow the number of veterans and military families that are made aware of and supported by our programs and engaged with the Org in a variety of ways.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Our goals are to scale this program nationally, serving 10X the number of veterans and military spouses TWC currently serves in a year, from 200 to 2,000. Growing the agency organically, through partnership ecosystems like the Vet Centers, the VA, other NPO's, and private sector companies, to service the affected population by engaging funders, entrepreneurs, and strategic business partners.
The 2022-23 retreat programming will include seven 7-day Men’s Veteran Retreats, seven 7-day Women’s Veteran Retreats, and four 4-day Veteran Spouse/Family Retreats. These retreats will serve 300 Veterans and 48 family members and our additional services will reach over 600 families, however, the work is far from over as TWC’s waiting list continues to grow as Veterans wait in line for our live-saving programs. Our current participant waitlist is 529 individuals.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Build a "flagship" retreat location where the organization will be headquartered year around, and serve as a training ground for regional support teams, along with modeling the ideal community partnerships needed to grow into other communities, nationally.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
TWC is ready to expand into other communities. Having operated on a shoestring since 2010, the organization learned to be extremely prudent. The program is fully developed, tested, refined and documented. The replicable model, TWC in a Box, is ready to go on the road. TWC trainers have successfully used The Warrior's Journey Facilitator Guide to train local facilitators in preparation to teach facilitators in new communities. Standardized operating procedures are in place to assure consistency and excellence, and a strong leadership team is now in place.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
TWC has come a long way in a short period of time. We have been pulling together a solid group of dedicated volunteers until ready to transition into paid employees. As such, we are finding sincere folks who are contributing for noble reasons.
Now, with a new funding model in place, our single location model is allowing for expansion. TWC has already taken the next steps in TWC offering retreats in a second location, which began in 2019.
The leadership team will continue to cultivate new board members and additional paid staff to support the day-to-day operational tempo and growth further.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
THE WARRIOR CONNECTION INC
Board of directorsas of 04/03/2023
Mr. Peter May
The Warrior Connection
Term: 2020 -
Mr. Ralph Kauzlarich
The Warrior Connection
Term: 2020 - 2022
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Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Not applicable
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
No data
The organization's co-leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
Equity strategies
Last updated: 03/12/2020GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.