The nonprofit organization, ‘She’s the Veteran,’ which focuses on honoring female veterans and providing them with a supportive community, hosted its first fundraiser last Saturday. Hoping to spread awareness about the sacrifices female service members make, Army veteran and founder Brooke Jackson Kahn, has been building a presence of ‘She’s the Veteran’ in her community. Kahn’s nonprofit, which is based in South Carolina, responds to the great need for female veterans and active-duty military members who may feel “invisible” in their community by providing them with the support they need including mental health resources.
Kahn started ‘She’s the Veteran’ in 2020 for female veterans to “improve mental health through programmatic activities, provide a supportive community, and spearhead research efforts in support of their health and mental health.” According to Live 5 News, the organization meets virtually once a month to participate in a skill-based activity. Kahn explained, “everything’s a little bit different every month, but they get a chance to plug into the events specifically only for women Veterans, no spouses or children..It really gives them a chance to take that mental health break and take all the hats off and enjoy their time out there.”
Angie Powers, who is still serving in the Army Reserve joined ‘She’s the Veteran,’ and shared that “we rose and served our country and just being able to come together and share those experiences is very unique to a female Veteran.” Powers added that being part of this organization is “one of the most rewarding things” she has done in her life, noting that it gives her and her fellow female veterans time to honor their service.
According to Live 5 News, there are over 45,000 women veterans in South Carolina. ‘She’s the Veteran’ has served 500 women already and has set a goal to serve 1,500 next year. Through advocacy, Kahn hopes to speak for women veterans everywhere who may feel “invisible” in their communities, getting them the recognition they deserve and the help they need.