GOLD2022

Pennsylvania Outdoors Veterans Inc

You are not alone...we stand together!

aka Pennsylvania Outdoor Veterans, Inc.   |   Lehighton, PA   |  www.paoutdoorveterans.org

Mission

Our mission at Pennsylvania Outdoor Veterans, Inc. is to enhance and promote the healing of the physical and emotional well being of our combat veterans while connecting with nature and the great outdoors.

Notes from the nonprofit

In 2015, Pennsylvania Outdoor Veterans, Inc. was founded by Ryan Bowman, a combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Ryan came home and awoke to find himself alone. There were no combat buddies to protect, no sergeants giving him orders. He had no one to speak to about what he was feeling. He didn't want to burden his family with things he felt they couldn't possibly understand. He felt lost and alone.

Many of our veterans are experiencing that same feeling of isolation. After having survived the
horrors of combat they return home unable to transition back into their lives. We have all heard
the statistic; 37 veterans per day are taking their own lives. Let's not sugar coat it, this is the
American tragedy of our time. From 2001 to 2015, America lost approximately 6883* service
members in combating the War on Terror. Tragic as that number is it pales in comparison to the
more than 120,000** Veterans who committed suicide, at home, during that same time frame.
Ryan has made it his mission to combat Veteran suicide here in Pennsylvania. To that end he
founded Pennsylvania Outdoor Veterans.

Our goal is two-fold:

1. Re-connect veterans through outdoor activities, helping them to build support systems
they can turn to in times of need

2. Educate and support Veteran families so they too understand, they are not alone.

Here at Pennsylvania Outdoor Veterans we say, “You are not alone…We stand together".
We are asking you to partner with us in combating Veteran suicide. Let them know they truly are not alone. Your donation will help make the emotional and physical healing of our brave
Veterans possible. Our Veterans have already given so much to us, please look deep in your
heart and consider what you can give back to our veterans.

Furthermore, we are looking for sponsors whom can assist either with monetary and/or in-kind donations. Specifically we are looking for donations towards a enclosed trailer for our equipment and/or outfitter tents for hunting camp.

Ruling year info

2016

Founder/Executive Director

Mr Ryan Patrick Bowman

President

Lisa Wetzel

Main address

PO Box 274

Lehighton, PA 18235 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

47-5143030

NTEE code info

Other Recreation, Sports, or Leisure Activities N.E.C. (N99)

IRS filing requirement

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

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Pennsylvania Outdoor Veterans is currently working on promoting the programs and opportunities for veterans across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Furthermore, we are looking to establish funding opportunities to support our mission for programs.

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?

Fishing and Camping

Pennsylvania Outdoor Veteran annually conducts a veteran appreciation campout in conjunction with local organization supporting our veterans.

Population(s) Served
Veterans

Pennsylvania Outdoor Veterans is planning to conduct (3) three hunts annually with veterans and/or family in order to rebuild the family dynamics of relationship.

Population(s) Served
Veterans

Where we work

Awards

Videos

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 veterans who report a decrease in depression

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

Adults, Veterans

Related Program

Fishing and Camping

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Number of veterans with PTSD served

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

Adults, Veterans

Related Program

Fishing and Camping

Type of Metric

Context - describing the issue we work on

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

This metric shows that the needs of our services to veterans within Pennsylvania whom suffer from PTSD in reaching out to Pennsylvania Outdoor Veterans has increased over a 3 year basis.

Number of military families who participate in programs

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

Families

Related Program

Fishing and Camping

Type of Metric

Context - describing the issue we work on

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

Our reach to veterans and families over the last 3 has increased. This data does not reflect the waiting list for services of military families.

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.

Pennsylvania Outdoor Veterans is aiming to accomplish bringing veterans and families together through the great outdoors. Long-term we are hoping to acquire funding to purchase land to build a retreat center for veterans and families along with programs.

We are currently looking at different funding opportunities either through direct mail, fundraisers and grants.

We are continuously working on the objectives in securing avenues for funding in talking with veteran service organizations and businesses about our mission.

So far, we have held 3 programs as of date, in 2018 we have 5 additional programs scheduled for the remaining part of 2018.

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 shared information about our current feedback practices.

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve

  • What significant change resulted from feedback?

    Pennsylvania Outdoor Veterans Board of Directors has realized the need for veterans, families and caregivers within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We identified that in order to better meet the needs of veterans, families and caregivers along with being cost effective with donor money, that it is in the best interest to purchase and build a retreat facility within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

  • 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, The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome, It is difficult to get honest feedback from the people we serve

Financials

Pennsylvania Outdoors Veterans Inc
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Operations

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

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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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.

Pennsylvania Outdoors Veterans Inc

Board of directors
as of 04/04/2022
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Mrs. Lisa Wetzel

Pennsylvania Outdoor Veterans

Term: 2021 - 2023

Ryan Bowman

Pennsylvania Outdoor Veterans

Matt Cordes

Pennsylvania Outdoor Veterans

Lisa Wetzel

Lehigh Valley Health Network

Keith Hess

AMX

Jason Wetzel

Lehigh Hanson

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? 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? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 4/4/2022
info Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

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
Female
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or straight
Disability status
Person with a disability

The organization's co-leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Male
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

No data

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

No data

Disability

We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.

Equity strategies

Last updated: 01/14/2021

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 employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • 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.