Homeward for Heroes founders Dan and Laura Reese talked with me today about their organization and their plans to grow. Dan, who is a veteran himself, found it has helped him to talk about his experiences while deployed and wanted to help other veterans and first responders do the same.
Their mission is to disconnect to reconnect by taking treks to connect with nature, unwind and share each other's experiences. Dan and Laura felt that it’s important to spread awareness of their organization and the more events and people they talk to the more support they receive.
When asked what advice they have for new nonprofits Laura shares, "The biggest thing is not to get discouraged. Starting out as a new nonprofit, a lot of times people don’t know who you are so find multiple avenues to get your name out there and don’t give up". It can be hard at first but she also encourages founders to reach out to others for help.
"Reach out to people that have a nonprofit, even on Facebook there are avenues to where you can reach out and ask more experienced people what to do if you’re unsure”. Dan says to be "transparent and genuine. Transparency is key I think for a nonprofit to be successful”
