Heart of a Veteran is dedicated to helping veterans and their caregivers achieve their health and wellness goals through holistic and alternative healing methods. They collaborate with local holistic practitioners and connect veterans with providers in their area, covering 100% of the cost for these services.
Some of the offerings include massage therapy, personal training, nutritional counseling, meditation, yoga, chiropractic care, functional neurology, hypnosis, mindfulness coaching, and much more.
“I’m a massage therapist,” said founder Jordan Holwell, “and that’s how this whole mission started. And we are growing and adding new initiatives every year.”
Helping veterans and their pets with Paws of a Veteran initiative
Heart of a Veteran recently announced a new initiative to help veterans with pets, Paws of a Veteran.
“So many veterans are in want and need of an animal,” said Andrea Wendlandt, the Executive Director of Paws of a Veteran, “and there’s so many different ways that they also need help to keep their animals in their home.”
This program supports veterans by providing resources for their beloved pets. They offer pet food, toys, cages, bedding, and other essentials. Additionally, they host low-cost or no-cost vaccination clinics, cover spay/neuter procedures, and provide up to $500 toward veterinary care.
“I’ve been doing the work with veterans for about ten years. I started off doing SCUBA work with them, and it’s just kind of snowballed working with Hines and veterans around the city and organizations and different events,” said Wendlandt.
“Heart of a Veteran” book
Hearing her client’s stories of their time in service and how their lives have been impacted, Holwell asked some veterans if they would be willing to tell their stories. Each one jumped on board, and the book “Heart of a Veteran” was born. The book gained national attention, and the authors of the book are not only some of Illinois’ very own, but are veterans from all over the United States.
After the release of the book, Jordan asked the question, “Where do we go from here?” The answer? “Use your talents to help veterans through holistic approaches to healing”.
Spotlight Guests: Jordan Holwell, Founder – Heart of a Veteran, and Andrea Wendlandt, Executive Director, Paws of a Veteran
