Higher Ground

This October, six military veterans, supported by HG’s COO Brian J. Von Herbulis, CEO Cole Petrie, and the guides from Frank Church Wilderness Outfitters, embarked on the hunt phase of the Hunt for Higher Ground program. Throughout this physical and spiritual journey, participants covered countless miles in the rugged Frank Church Wilderness, enduring unseasonably warm temperatures that quickly turned to rain and snow. Each Veteran pushed themselves physically and mentally through Idaho's challenging terrain. Though no big game was harvested this year, the experience left a significant impact, equipping each participant with skills for lifelong hunting. This program is about more than just the hunt; it’s a testament to resilience and camaraderie in the great outdoors.

Today is the last day to vote for Higher Ground in the Land Rover Defender Service Award! Higher Ground has been announced as a finalist for the annual ‘Defender Services Awards’ presented by CHASE. Each of the 25 U.S. non-profit and Canadian registered charities across five categories reflect the Defender brand’s enduring commitment to bringing positive impact to communities through acts of service and humanitarian efforts around the world. Voting ENDS tonight at midnight! The winning organizations will each receive a new Defender 130 vehicle that will be fully customized to best address our adaptive needs, and awarded $25,000 empowering us to further our mission. A heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who has already cast their vote and to those who have helped amplify our message along the way. We are so grateful for our HG community! VOTE HG https://buff.ly/3NaQOa8

Josaf Rodriguez, Marine veteran and HG CRU Ambassador, led a 4-day fly fishing excursion along the Stanislaus River in NorCal with 5 veterans. The adventure produced opportunities for learning, bonding, and adapting to rapid weather condition changes. Tying flies, camp setup, wilderness cooking, campfires and story time, and of course fly fishing, were core elements of this CRU event. Well done Josaf, keep up the good work!

Today is #WorldMentalHealthDay, we’re celebrating over 3 years of partnership with The Headstrong Project. Their incredible Mental Health Professionals have been an essential part of our week-long Veteran and First Responder programs, helping our heroes heal both mentally and emotionally. 🧠 Together, we’ve been making strides in breaking the stigma around mental health and ensuring everyone gets the care and support they deserve. Higher Ground CEO, Cole Petrie, and Headstrong Project Chief Clinical Officer, Amy Williams, pictured together during the week-long rafting program on the Main Salmon River. #veteranmentalhealth #veteran #headstrong

With Higher Ground as the sponsoring non-profit, Matthew Krumwiede was selected for the 2024 Idaho disabled veteran special big game bull elk hunt. “It was an amazing hunt, with great people. A lot of hard work and patience, we got it done!” Congratulations Matthew!

EXCITING NEWS Higher Ground has been announced as a finalist for the annual ‘Defender Services Awards’ presented by CHASE. Each of the 25 U.S. non-profit and Canadian registered charities across five categories reflect the Defender brand’s enduring commitment to bringing positive impact to communities through acts of service and humanitarian efforts around the world. We need your vote to push us through to the top spot! Public voting, starts TODAY, October 2nd, 2024, through October 17th, 2024. The winning organizations will each receive a new Defender 130 vehicle that will be fully customized to best address our adaptive needs, and awarded $25,000 empowering us to further our mission. Visit https://buff.ly/3NaQOa8 TODAY to vote for HG! Please share with your network!

Thankful to this amazing team of creatives for seeing our vision and taking it to the next level. Here's to 25 more years!!

Want to join this fun crew? We are hiring for a Veteran and First Responder Program Manager with a focus on CRU events 📍Where: Blaine County, Idaho (not remote!) ⁉️ What: The Program Manager works on an interdisciplinary team responsible for facilitating and supporting all aspects of the Higher Ground Veteran and First Responder Program serving veterans and first responders throughout the United States. This position will be primarily responsible for the planning, coordination and execution of Community Resiliency Unit (CRU) events for veterans and first responders in Idaho. ⏰ When: Deadline to apply is Friday, October 18th. Please send a cover letter, resume and three references to Alaina Wilson; alaina@highergroundusa.org Head over to our Careers page to learn more about this dynamic position https://buff.ly/3TEf73S

Thanks for a great conversation Mission43 Idahoans -- be sure to check out Mission43 to learn more about life after the military.

This past Saturday, I had the incredible opportunity to rock climb with Higher Ground, a fantastic organization dedicated to providing veterans and first responders with therapeutic recreation and education experiences. Rock climbing was a powerful way to challenge myself physically and mentally, and being surrounded by fellow veterans made the experience even more supportive. A huge thank you to Adam Rund for hosting this event. His unwavering commitment to enhancing the quality of life for those with visible and invisible disabilities made this possible. If you are a veteran or know a veteran who could benefit from veteran-focused activities, check out Higher Ground.   #Veterans #HigherGround #Community #MentalHealth