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Charlie Daniels has always made it his mission to assist our nation’s veterans in whatever capacity he can.
The legendary country crooner has seemingly made a second career out of aiding former U.S. servicemen and women who are dealing with mental, physical and financial hardships and is once again placing veterans at the forefront of those in need of assistance during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
In partnership with the nonprofit Code of Vets, Daniels' own veterans' nonprofit, The Journey Home Project, is seeking donations for vets who have been suffering in silence with PTSD, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), hunger, homelessness and mounting unemployment while doing everything they can to stay above water.
"We have combined forces with Code of Vets on other occasions to provide help for our veterans – so this isn’t our first experience working with these great people," Daniels told Fox News of Gretchen Smith, who founded and helms the nonprofit.
"One major reason is that the needs and the amount of vets falling through the cracks has drastically increased as the veteran population gets laid off from their jobs and, due to the present condition of the economy, many traditional sources find themselves short of funds limiting the places they can go for help," Daniels continued.
He added: "Another reason is that Gretchen Smith and her husband, Joe, are ex-military and have a rapport with veterans that gives them the ability to ferret out the most immediate needs and Code of Vets can address those needs in a timely manner."
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Long before the spread of COVID-19 permeated the world, Code of Vets had boots on the ground assisting veterans with numerous pressing issues and Daniels believes his organization can provide stout relief for veterans with the aid of Code of Vets, which can quickly pinpoint areas of need.
"The only thing that holds them back is funding and that’s where we come in," Daniels explained. "Although our funds are also limited, we feel that one of the most meaningful ways to disburse them is by sharing with Code of Vets."
Charlie Daniels, right, is seen with Code of Vets founder and former US Air Force servicewoman Gretchen Smith. (Code of Vets / The Journey Home Project)
Meanwhile, Smith told us the veterans she works closely with are simply baffled by the fact that many of their jobs aren’t considered important enough to continue work, which in many cases can quickly lead to hardship and the inability to provide for their families.
"Our veterans are grappling with the loss of their jobs, paychecks and freedom," she said. "They do not understand why their jobs are not essential. They have served our nation, worked hard but can no longer feed their family, pay their basic bills or go to church. PTSD and TBI are difficult to live with. Now with this historic economic shutdown it is just too much."
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Daniels championed all of the healthcare professionals and first responders on the front lines of the coronavirus fight, however, he questioned the government’s allocation of funding before and during the deadly pandemic.
"The money that Congress recently earmarked for the Kennedy Center and the Endowment for the Arts, could have alleviated the suffering of hundreds of thousands of veterans," he maintained. "Yes, I’d say they are being overlooked, or ignored is more like it."
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"It is no longer business as usual. The urgency of these needs require all of our resources all of the time, and we need more Americans to step up for our veterans as they did for them," Smith said.
"The mental health situation in the veterans community is always critical, even in the best of times," she added. "There is an average of 22 veteran suicides a day and the current crisis can only serve to further exacerbate the existing problems, so I’d say it's paramount."
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Daniels and The Journey Home Project urge the public to donate to Code of Vets during this trying time for our nation’s military heroes.
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