Help Heal Veterans Holiday Craft Market

All Items Are Handcrafted by U.S. Veterans

SAN DIEGO , CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., November 24, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Help Heal Veterans (Heal Vets), a nonprofit that provides free therapeutic arts and crafts kits to veterans and active duty military, today launched a Holiday Craft Market, an online store that showcases hand-crafted items made by veterans and active duty military.

The Holiday Craft Market features items including hand-painted wooden trays and boxes; handmade leather purses, bags and wallets; custom crafted pens; luxurious deerskin moccasins and unfinished craft kits for aspiring crafters. 100% of the proceeds will go back to helping veterans heal. The market runs now through December 14.

The items were made by veterans and active duty military as part of their healing process. Often referred to as art therapy, craft kits help injured and recuperating veterans improve fine motor skills, cognitive functioning, manage stress and substance abuse, cope with symptoms of PTSD and TBI, while also improving their sense of self-esteem and overall physical and mental health.

Featured artists include Michael Hobbs, a U.S. Army Veteran who, although he is visually impaired, is an expert leather craftsman. Hobbs says, “The kits give me a challenge, take away stress, and give me a chance to work with my hands.” Artist Mael Cabarrus, a U.S. Army Veteran says, “I didn’t really know I had a knack for the arts until after I left the Army, and it’s been a life-changer ever since.”

“These truly are gifts that will make a difference as all proceeds will go directly back to helping our vets heal,” said Joe McClain, retired Navy captain and Help Heal Veterans CEO. “The Holiday Craft Market also provides a great opportunity to promote our vets and share their exceptional work. And, each piece will be unique, and purchasers will be able to give a gift that no one else will have.”

Help Heal Veterans has been supplying arts-and-crafts kits free of charge to veterans and active-duty military who are recovering from wounds, injuries and long-term psychological effects of warfare for almost 50 years. Today, millions of veterans are isolated—many suffering from TBIs, PTSD and substance abuse—and now experiencing loneliness, boredom and anxiety during the pandemic. Heal Vets has seen a huge increase in demand and has shipped nearly 290,000 craft kits to veterans since the beginning of the pandemic. Kits have gone to more than 90 VA medical centers around the country and a large number of military bases (domestic & overseas), state veteran homes and other locations where the need is great.

The Holiday Craft Market features hundreds of handmade gifts and décor, and items range in price from $18.00 to $110.00 (shipping to anywhere in the U.S. is included in the price of the items).

Get shopping: https://healvets.square.site/

About Help Heal Veterans
First established in 1971, Help Heal Veterans has provided free therapeutic arts and crafts kits to hospitalized and homebound veterans for generations. These craft kits help injured and recuperating veterans improve fine motor skills, cognitive functioning, manage stress and substance abuse, cope with symptoms of PTSD and TBI, while also improving their sense of self-esteem and overall physical and mental health. Most of these kits are developed, manufactured and packaged for delivery at our production center headquartered in Winchester, California. Since inception, Help Heal Veterans has delivered nearly 31 million of these arts and crafts kits to veterans and veteran facilities nationwide, along with active-duty military overseas.

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Jennifer Baskerville
Help Heal Veterans
jennifer.baskerville@qorvis.com
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