April Initiative – Healthcare Workers on the Front Lines

By Miranda Briggs, CEO and Founder of Fight the War Within Foundation

Mental health can have a different definition to different people. For us here at Fight the War Within Foundation, we believe that mental health is an inevitable part of every person’s life, regardless of what journey they are on. One certainty that we all will face at some point in our lives is the guarantee of an internal battle of some form. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, over 47 million Americans suffered from some form of mental illness in 2018, making up over 19% of the population. Whether it stems from traumatic experiences or the effects of anxiety and depression, no one is alone in feeling the impacts of mental illness.

The Corona-virus pandemic has only increased mental illness conditions, leaving millions feeling more stressed and afflicted. To take a stand and unite, Fight the War Within Foundation made the decision to adopt nurses across the United States ars our initiative for the month of April. By collecting donations through our Amazon “wish list”, we were able to send out 3 large care packages, which contained hand sanitizer from Savannah’s own Ghost Coast Distillery, 160 masks from Nine Line Apparel, and goody bags filled with candy, cough drops, and more, to these heroes of the front lines. We hope that these items can not only help protect these warriors as they spearhead the battle against COVID-19, but also uplift their spirits during these stressful times of long working hours and time away from friends and family.

Thanks to the support of so many generous donors, we were able to send care packages to six facilities across the country: the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta – Emergency Department of Atlanta, GA; Amedisys Home Health of Broadway, NC; StarLight Pediatrics of Holly Springs, NC; Saint Mary’s Hospital of St. Louis, MO; Saint Louis University Hospital of St. Louis, MO; and Saint Luke’s Hospital of St. Louis, MO.

Our next focused mission is the adoption of Savannah area police and fire departments in the towns of Midway and Bloomingdale, Georgia. We are still in need of care package donation items. To help, you can donate to our sister organization Heels n Halligans, purchase an item off of our Amazon “wish list”, or send items to our mailing address at 60 Exchange Street, Suite C3, Richmond Hill, GA 31324.

Seeing our community come together for this cause has reminded us all that mental health comes in many forms. The stress that our healthcare workers and first responders are facing during the fight against Coronavirus is immense. We can’t wave a magic wand and fix everything, but we can send our love in hopes that spirits are uplifted during these trying times.

Fight on, warriors.