Together in Battle,
Together in Healing —
Veterans Mental Health Support
Our Vision and Mission
Our ideal world is one where all active duty and discharged service members can close their eyes at night and find peace within. One where no veteran feels so isolated that they feel as if their problems are invalid. One where mental health is viewed to be as important as physical health.
Patrick’s Recruitment for Peace aims to provide mental health resources and consistent check-ins to veterans through mental health professionals and other veterans. Provide resources for veterans to stay connected virtually and in person with fellow service members, specifically in crises. Aid veterans in transitioning to civilian life by connecting them with local opportunities for a renewed sense of purpose.
Meet Our Team
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Cailee French | B.S Healthcare Studies, M.B.A
PRESIDENT & FOUNDER
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Michaela Lewia | MS, PA (ASCP)
TREASURER
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Paige Witham | B.S Business Administration
SECRETARY
The Problem
The military spends over $3 billion annually to accomplish its recruitment goals. It spends a significant amount of its budget to fill a need for our country, with the goal of protecting and serving. They strip young adults of their comfort, their autonomy, and anything they previously knew as comfort, all of this to create a person who is physically and mentally capable of protecting and serving at all costs. With no other choice, their crutches along the way often become tobacco, alcohol, and their brothers and sisters serving alongside them. Once they have fulfilled their duty and made a plan to return home, everything they know as normal has changed, and that number one support system is gone. They’re no longer sleeping on a cot with 20 other men and women in the room. Instead, they’re isolated and forced to internalize anything they may have encountered alone because as much as they love their family at home, only their military family truly understand their battle within.
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The Solution
The number one thing I heard from all of my brother's battalion members was wishing they would have physically gotten here sooner. Those struggling with mental health are only so forthcoming with information when you are talking to them over the phone, in-person presence is a huge factor. Addressing mental health requires open conversations, destigmatization of seeking help, and tailored support systems that acknowledge and cater to their specific needs and experiences. Our team is preparing to hire mental health professionals to educate veterans and provide them with the resources to help themselves, but also be a resource to other veterans. One can assume that if the military spent even a fraction of the 3 billion they do on recruitment efforts to be a resource to veterans, we may not be burying over 8000 veterans each year. Veterans will serve as mental health recruiters and do in-person and virtual mental health checks. We also aim to aid veterans in transitioning to civilian life by connecting them with local opportunities for a renewed sense of purpose. By providing support, forming a healthy sense of community, and reinforcing the sense of comradeship we hope the overwhelming feeling of isolation will subside.
Guidance for veterans in need
Stop Soldier Suicide
FAQs
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A message from the founder:
In May of 2023, my brother, SGT Patrick LeClair, took his own life. After his passing I was honored to sit amongst 15 of my brother’s battalion brothers and sisters. During that time, I felt an overwhelming amount of love, pain, and guilt. They were overcome with what-ifs, much like everyone else close to him, but the difference was that they all felt his pain differently. They understood, and many were fighting their own battles. The words of one stuck with me: “ I hope I am fortunate enough to reach old age.” This 29-year-old man had buried more of his friends than anyone should in a lifetime, let alone just 11 short years into adulthood. From there, Patrick’s Recruitment For Peace was born. Our system failed, my brother, but as you are reading this today, someone else’s loved one is internally battling these same struggles and the only people who can understand them are scattered across the country.
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Our board members are dedicated to improving veteran’s quality of life in every way. We can guarantee that your donations will have a direct benefit to a veteran. We are consistently screening mental health professionals to find the best fit to work alongside our organization as we understand the importance of finding the right person to connect with our veterans. We are providing mental health resources to veterans prior to any crisis situation and aim to be a valuable resource to those who find themselves internally struggling. We will provide the means for veterans to travel to one another for mental check-ins. We also aim to aid veterans in transitioning to civilian life by connecting them with local opportunities for a renewed sense of purpose. We hope the overwhelming feeling of isolation will subside by providing support, forming a healthy sense of community, and reinforcing the sense of comradeship.
EIN: 99-3825479
501c3 status pending
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Please email recruitmentforpeace@gmail.com to connect with our team.