NEWS & STORIES
Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Awarded $215,000 VA Grant to Support Disabled Veterans
La Plata, MD – The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs announced that for the third consecutive year, Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing (PHWFF) has been awarded an Adaptive Sports Grant. The $215,000 grant will go to support the core-programmatic activities of the organizations 200+ volunteer-run programs throughout the United States. Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing is a national program that has been changing lives for disabled veterans and members of the armed forces since its inception in 2006.
The Grants for Adaptive Sports Programs for Disabled Veterans and Members of the Armed Forces (ASG Program) provides grant funding to organizations to increase and expand the quantity and quality of adaptive sport activities disabled Veterans and members of the Armed Forces have to participate in physical activity within their home communities, as well as more advanced Paralympic and adaptive sport programs at the regional and national levels.
VA is awarding the grants to national governing bodies, which prepare high-level athletes for Paralympic competition; Veterans service organizations; city and regional municipalities; and other community groups to provide a wide range of adaptive sports opportunities for eligible Veterans and service members. The grants will support activities ranging from kayaking, sailing, cycling, skiing, equine therapy and equestrian sports, among other activities.
VA will distribute the grants to 96 national, regional and community programs serving all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Approximately 10,000 Veterans and service members are expected to benefit
“We are honored to partner with so many organizations across the country to provide adaptive sports programs where our Veterans live,” said VA Secretary Dr. David J. Shulkin. “Adaptive sports provide opportunities for Veterans, and empower them to believe in themselves and let go of what others may see as limitations.”
This year, 96 organizations in 33 states received a 2017-18 grant, up from 67 organizations in the 2016 fiscal year. The VA estimates that 10,000 veterans and service members will benefit from the nearly $8 million in funding.
PHWFF will utilize this grant to continue providing their top-tier therapeutic program to over 200 Programs across the United States. The PHWFF program provides basic fly fishing, fly casting, fly tying and rod building classes, along with clinics participants ranging from beginners who have never fished before, to those with prior fly fishing and tying experience who are adapting their skills to their new abilities. In 2016 alone, 3,281 Program Volunteers served over 7,400 injured and disabled veterans by dedicating more than 230,000 hours of service by offering 3,878 Fly Tying Classes, 1,118 Rod Building Classes, 1,274 Casting classes, and 1,540 fishing outings.