Posted on: August 19, 2021

BVL donates $100,000 to fund Vet Center programs

FAIRFAX, Va. (August 18, 2021) – BVL (Bowlers to Veterans Link) has awarded a $100,000 grant to Vet Center, a national community-based counseling center program that helps veterans transition from military to civilian life.

BVL Chairman John LaSpina made the announcement during a BVL segment on the national Fox & Friends morning show as part of the National Bowling Day celebration on August 14. LaSpina presented the $100,000 check to Vet Center Chief Officer Mike Fisher.

Under the BVL Grants for Vet Centers program, the $100,000 grant will fund multiple Vet Centers that align with BVL’s recreation therapy mission. Grant applications would be sent out to all Vet Centers to apply for BVL grants, up to $10,000 per program.

“Returning home from a deployment is often a challenging experience for many veterans and programs like the Vet Center plays an important role by offering therapeutic services that will make that transition an easier one,” said BVL Chairman John LaSpina. “We can provide this support to the Vet Center because the amazing bowling community continues to step up for veterans and raise funds for BVL, even during the most challenging times.”

Vet Centers, which are located in all 50 states and US territories a provide a wide range of social and psychological services, including professional readjustment counseling to eligible Veterans, service members – including National Guard and Reserve components – and their families. The funding would support counseling, community engagement, and referral service programs to help reach more veterans, including those who are homeless, and provide an entry point to recreation therapy services at the Vet Centers that would be free of charge to the participating veterans.

Vet Center counselors and outreach staff, many of whom are veterans themselves, are experienced and prepared to discuss the tragedies of war, loss, grief, and transition after trauma. To learn more about Vet Center programs, visit https://www.vetcenter.va.gov/ or find the nearest Vet Center at https://www.va.gov/find-locations/?facilityType=vet_center. Teams are also available 24/7 by phone at 1-877-927-8387.

In May 2020, BVL also made a $100,000 donation to the Department of Veteran Affairs to fund tele-therapy programs for veterans to help them keep a virtual personal connection during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BVL was founded in 1942 when bowlers across America raised funds to purchase planes to bring wounded servicemen and women home from World War II. BVL is a highly-ranked 501c3 charity that funds recreation therapy programs to address the emotional and physical needs of veterans and active-duty military, including sports, music, crafts, technology, and adaptive equipment for rehabilitation activities.

For more information on BVL, visit www.BVL.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS: 

Rosie Crews, RC2 Communications (for BVL) E: rosie@rc2communications.com PH: 817.691.5424

Mary Harrar, BVL Executive Director (mary@bvl.org) PH: 703.934.6039

About BVL (Bowlers to Veterans Link):

BVL is bowling’s oldest and own charity and is consistently acknowledged for efficient and effective programming delivered with extremely low overhead, providing more than $53 million in grants to VA hospitals and clinics since 1942. BVL has been recognized as one of “America’s Best Charities” by Independent Charities of America, earned a “Top-Rated” Nonprofit distinction from GreatNonprofits, and is also a member of the Combined Federal Campaign (#93325).