Out of sight. Out of mind. It’s human not to think about the things that don’t impact our everyday lives. However, far too often, the difficulties faced by injured veterans fall into that category. Many wounds inflicted by war are invisible to the casual observer but no less challenging to the veteran living with them. This lack of visibility can make it difficult for injured veterans to get the help they need. That’s where the Adopt-A-Diver program comes in. By connecting donors and participants, wounded veterans get the therapeutic benefits of adaptive diving while sharing their experiences with the donors who make it possible. Read on to learn more about how the Adopt-A-Diver program gives invisible healing the visibility it deserves.
What Is the Adopt-A-Diver Program?
PFDD’s Adopt-A-Diver program allows a donor or team of donors to sponsor an individual adaptive diver throughout their entire Open Water Diver certification. Donors participating in this program are paired with a willing, injured veteran. Donor and veteran meet either in person or virtually, depending on logistics and participant preferences. They are encouraged to get to know each other and to maintain correspondence throughout the veteran’s dive training. At the end of the program, the veteran earns their entry-level scuba diving certification, and the donor receives a plaque recognizing their support.
Why Does Adopting a Diver Matter?
The Adopt-A-Diver program is a pretty straightforward concept. Still, it has an enormous impact on both the veteran and the donor. Adaptive diving has a profoundly positive effect on the lives of the injured veterans who participate in our programs, but those changes are often personal. They’re shifts in outlook and attitude that affect every day of a veteran’s healing journey. Sometimes, they are even the difference between suicidal thoughts and optimism for the future. These changes make a world of difference in a veteran’s life, but those psychological differences don’t photograph very well. As such, many supporters hear about the excellent work being done through adaptive diving, but they never get to see it for themselves. And when it comes to life-changing events, seeing is believing.
Enter the Adopt-A-Diver program. By connecting donors directly with the veterans they support, they experience the change right alongside the diver. They get to know the veteran before training and see their improvement throughout. This pulls back the veil that so often separates supporters and participants. And the divers benefit too. Through this pairing, the veteran has someone they can talk to about their course. They get the emotional boost of knowing someone is rooting for them and genuinely interested in their experience. This goes a long way in turning a good experience into a great experience.
How Do You Adopt a Diver?
Adopting a diver is simple. Start by contacting us online to express your interest in adopting an adaptive diver. You can donate as an individual or a team—if you’re contributing as a team, pick a team name, as only one plaque is awarded. Once we’ve received your $1,000 tax-deductible donation, we’ll pair you with the veteran you’ll sponsor. As a group, we arrange a time for you all to meet. From there, how much or how often you and your adopt-a-diver communicate is up to you. We’ll send you periodic updates on the progress of their training and provide you with your commemorative plaque after the course is complete.
Sponsoring an adaptive diver may seem like a small thing, but it makes a life-changing difference in both lives. If you’re interested in learning more about the program or are ready to adopt your own diver, contact us online or via email at jeff@patriotsfordisableddivers.org.