PLATINUM2023

Soldier Strong Inc

Helping servicemembers take their next steps forward.

Stamford, CT   |  http://www.soldierstrong.org/

Mission

SoldierStrong transforms the lives of injured veterans by providing cutting-edge medical technology, rehabilitation access and education otherwise unavailable to them.

Ruling year info

2013

Chairman and CEO

Christopher Meek

Main address

1127 High Ridge Road Suite 124

Stamford, CT 06905 USA

Show more contact info

Formerly known as

SoldierSocks

EIN

46-2142225

NTEE code info

Health - General and Rehabilitative N.E.C. (E99)

Scholarships, Student Financial Aid, Awards (B82)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

The SoldierSuit is several state-of-the-art rehabilitation technologies that address a variety of combat-related disabilities. We partner with some of the country’s most advanced medical technology firms to make their products accessible to our returning veterans. The SoldierScholarship program represents our commitment to provide support for our United States Armed Forces heroes that evolves along with their needs. As soldiers return from service abroad, education offers some of the best opportunities for them to provide for themselves and their families, and thrive in civilian life. StrongMind was launched to reduce the number of veteran suicides, and provide veterans with urgently needed options for PTSD treatment, SoldierStrong is partnering with the Veterans Administration to offer StrongMind, a revolutionary virtual reality therapy program that leverages cutting-edge technology to make therapy not only as effective as possible but also more appealing to younger generations.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

SoldierSuit

The SoldierStrong SoldierSuit is actually several state-of-the-art rehabilitation technologies that address a variety of combat-related disabilities. We partner with some of the country’s most advanced medical technology firms to make their products accessible to our returning veterans. Used together or on their own, the SoldierSuit components help their recipients live fulfilling, empowered lives long after their service to our country is over. SoldierStrong is constantly partnering with new firms to tackle new ailments and expand SoldierSuit’s ability to transform lives. Through our efforts, SoldierStrong not only helps those who most deserve it, but also creates additional benefits for the entire country. Our partners don’t just change lives; they create jobs and strengthen their communities. With the support of SoldierStrong and similar organizations, our partners continue to push the possibilities of technology forward and keep the United States at the cutting edge.

Population(s) Served
Veterans
People with physical disabilities

SoldierStrong’s SoldierScholarship program represents our commitment to provide support for our military heroes that evolves along with their needs. As soldiers return from service abroad, education offers some of the best opportunities for them to provide for themselves and their families, and thrive in civilian life.

The SoldierScholarship program is open to all veterans who defended our nation’s freedom and fought in the recent War on Terror (Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn). Our mission is helping soldiers take their next steps forward in their academic and professional careers and to fill any tuition gaps the Post-9/11 GI Bill may leave.

Population(s) Served
Veterans

SoldierStrong is dedicated to helping American military veterans overcome disabilities and major injuries through therapy and rehabilitation. Help us help our Nation’s veterans by donating today.

Population(s) Served
Veterans
People with physical disabilities

StrongMind is dedicated to providing urgently needed help for veterans with PTSD. Revolutionary virtual reality (VR) therapy offered through VA clinics makes treatment not only as effective as possible but also more appealing to younger generations.

Population(s) Served
People with psychosocial disabilities
Substance abusers

Where we work

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Number of students enrolled

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Veterans

Related Program

SoldierScholarship

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

As soldiers return from service abroad, education offers some of the best opportunities for them to provide for themselves and their families, and thrive in civilian life.

Number of people provided assistive technology

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Veterans, People with physical disabilities

Related Program

SoldierSuit

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

We partner with some of the country’s most advanced medical technology firms to make their products accessible to our returning veterans.

Number of people who receive inpatient care and get significantly better

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Veterans, People with physical disabilities

Related Program

SoldierSuit

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Number of new clients within the past 12 months

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Veterans, People with physical disabilities

Related Program

SoldierSuit

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Number of therapy hours provided to clients

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Veterans, People with physical disabilities

Related Program

SoldierSuit

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

SoldierStrong helps American patriots literally take their new steps forward. Through educational scholarships and by harnessing the most innovative technology in advanced rehabilitation, we help our returning service men and women to continue moving in the only direction they should know – forward. Nearly every dollar SoldierStrong receives goes towards direct support of American patriots so that they can re-acclimate to civilian life. Our organization works to remind those men and women who sacrificed so much that we are forever thankful.

SoldierStrong is committed to helping our soldiers take their next steps forward. Whether it be a soldier taking their next steps on the frontlines, in their education or career paths, or helping them get out of a wheelchair and take the next steps forward in their daily lives, SoldierStrong is there to support them. We partner with some of the nation's most advanced biomedical device companies to get their products into the hands of our nation's injured veterans. Through our efforts, SoldierStrong not only helps those who most deserve it, but also creates additional benefits for the entire country. These firms don't just change lives; they create jobs and strengthen their communities. With the support of SoldierStrong and similar organizations, our partners continue to push technology forward and keep the United States at the cutting edge.

Small goods. Large impact. From this simple ethos, SoldierSocks began its journey of helping service men and women through theirs. Along the way, we've developed into an organization with a national profile that now stands at the forefront of non-profits dedicated to improving the lives of our nation's heroes.
Back in 2009, we saw that soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan lacked some basic essentials – namely tube socks and baby wipes, cherished items in the harsh deserts of the Middle East. Moved to take action, we founded SoldierStrong and,working with local businesses and civic organizations around Stamford, Conn., held sock drives and fund-raising events. Word of our mission spread, and our partnerships grew in scope to include organizations such as Cablevision, Sports Illustrated, ConAir and Newman's Own, in addition to a number of schools and universities, churches and other civic organizations.
People took notice – SoldierStrong shipped over 50,000 pounds of items to our troops abroad, and drew praise here at home, receiving a commendation from the U.S. House of Representatives and a Presidential Call to Service Award from the White House.
As the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq wound down and our ambitions to help grew, SoldierStrong's focus pivoted from providing goods to soldiers abroad to helping them thrive here at home. Our efforts quickly evolved beyond simple sock drives to scholarships for returning veterans and partnering with cutting-edge rehabilitation technology companies to literally get our heroes “back on their feet".
Although we've since left sock drives and care packages behind to tackle new challenges, SoldierStrong remains committed to its founding principles: providing our patriots with the resources and support they need to overcome obstacles new and old. While the goods that we now provide – state-of-the-art medical devices and educational opportunities at some of our nation's most prestigious institutions – are in no way small, our impact continues to be outsized.

- Donation dollars passed on to our causes: 80+%
- Bio Medical devices funded or donated this year: 4
- Spinal Cord Injured veterans now with access to our SoldierSuit: 30,000
- Scholarship dollars granted to date through 2021: $500,000+
- Collaborating with the VA's Innovator Network to deploy the BraveMind VR/PTSD protocol to an initial 10 VA medical centers

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We demonstrated a willingness to learn more by reviewing resources about feedback practice.
done We shared information about our current feedback practices.
  • 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

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time

Financials

Soldier Strong Inc
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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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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lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build 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.

Soldier Strong Inc

Board of directors
as of 08/29/2023
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Christopher Meek

Christopher Meek

SoldierStrong

Jeremy Wien

SoldierStrong

William Colfer, III

SoldierStrong

Leora Levy

SoldierStrong

Tyler McAllister

SoldierStrong

Darlene Rosenkoetter

SoldierStrong

Kimberly Moros

SoldierStrong

Michele Merrell

SoldierStrong

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • 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? No
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No
  • 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? No
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? No
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 7/4/2020

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Male, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

No data

Gender identity

No data

 

No data

Sexual orientation

No data

Disability

No data

Equity strategies

Last updated: 07/04/2020

GuideStar 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

Data
  • We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
  • We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
  • We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
  • We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
  • We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
  • 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 measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
  • 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.