Hello, and thank you for taking a moment to hear our story. My name is Ryan Miller. I’m co-founder along with Jaene Leonard of Compassionate Veterans—a volunteer organization transitioning to nonprofit. Our mission is deeply rooted in hope and healing. For over a decade, Jaene and I have facilitated over 1,500 social support groups for military veterans across Northern California while redistributing hundreds of pounds of donated plant medicine at no charge to veterans in need.

Having served in the Marine Corps, I’ve realized the essential need for an engaged community and ongoing tools for healing to support and empower veterans. I’ve dedicated much of my adult life now to supporting those who’ve served our country and have found myself on a life path further to serve my fellow veterans and active-duty military members. I’ll complete my graduate studies in psychology counseling this summer, and I am currently interning in marriage and family therapy at a veteran-centric non-profit near Travis AFB.

To achieve our next milestone, we’re seeking $2,500 toward our fundraising goal of $5,000 to move to nonprofit status. These dollars will cover filings and consultancy fees. This will help establish our legal and financial foundation as we evolve from an informal peer-led social support group model to that of licensed and supervised group therapy.

Our initial intention—to prevent veteran suicide—has revealed a protocol that works, the impact of which is tangible and humbling. In providing a platform for peer interaction with guided discussion and meditation, veterans can come together regularly and reliably, share experiences and insights, and inspire each other to grow. Each week, we gather online to set goals, share vulnerabilities, discuss strengths and challenges, build resilience, and promote peace in somatic, iRest yoga nidra meditations led by Jaene. Compassionate Veterans gather together in person each quarter to provide community service and receive donated plant-medicine products for free. The impact of our work is tangible and humbling.

Our initiative has grown incredibly, especially since March 2020—the start of the COVID-19 outbreak. The pandemic sent the country into a mental health crisis, and we responded by expanding to an online presence three times per week to stay connected with our veteran community. Our community quickly expanded to include veteran and active-duty participants in 18 States and even international military members in Canada and Eastern Europe, further highlighting the continued need for this important work.

Our diversity is our core strength. Among our family are veterans of color, 2SLGBTQIA+, and seniors, all seeking—and finding—solace and camaraderie within our unique community. A longer-term goal is to extend these relational bridges even further to reach refugees and communities impacted by war.

We understand and respect that times are tough and that those supporting us are individuals from all walks of life and many within the working class. No contribution is too small, and simply sharing our campaign can amplify our reach and fuel our success exponentially. For any consideration, donation, promotion, or prayer We Are Grateful.

You can help us make a significant difference in our mission to combat veteran suicide and give veterans the tools we all need to live healthy, productive lives. Your support is not just a contribution. It’s a lifeline to those we serve. Together, we can continue building a community that heals, supports, and uplifts.

From all of us at Compassionate Veterans, thank you.

Planting Seeds of Peace

By Compassionate Veterans

Planting Seeds of Peace

Fund Healing for Veterans.