Tara’s Champions

The following are organizations that have given assistance to Tara from the beginning. From a new PUK jewelry welder to financial assistance, these organizations deserve our recognition.

Mission: To equip America's returning veterans with the tools they need to start a business or pursue career education. 

Work Vessels for Veterans was started in 2008 after John Niekrash, a Noank, CT lobsterman heard the story of a wounded warrior's dedication and service after having been severely injured in Iraq. John decided that his boat that had served him well for seventeen years should go to someone who had served his country. Our first "vessel," Krasher was refurbished and donated for commercial fishing in Narragansett Bay, RI to a USMC Reservist who served three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and a legacy was born.

Help Our Wounded (HOW) was founded by Rosie Babin in 2009 to help severely wounded military members, and those who care for them by providing direct aid, resources and support. While there are many resources for veterans, the needs of severely wounded veterans and their caregivers are more complex.

HOW acts as a resource for the emotional and medical challenges facing caregivers. In addition, we coach and educate caregivers and soldiers as they navigate the complex rules and paperwork required to obtain help from the DoD and other agencies.

We’re proud of our decisive and effective contributions to help the wounded soldier get back on their feet, find hope, connect with resources and embrace a happy, but new-normal lifestyle

Villagers for Veterans is 100% volunteer 501(c)(3) organization founded for the sole purpose of helping severely wounded veterans. We help veterans directly with much-needed funding or additional resources, or by providing grants to other organizations that provide services for veterans. Either way, we are here to help wounded veterans transition into civilian life with as much support as possible. Villagers for Veterans meets a real need today, as veterans too often face difficulty in securing resources through established sources, such as governmental agencies.

Our goal is to rally the community around these brave men and women, and bridge the gap so that veterans may enjoy the healthy, independent lifestyles that we ourselves enjoy. Villagers for Veterans hopes to serve as a liaison between residents of The Villages and those veterans who are in need. We hope to show how this generous community is giving back to our brave men and women of the armed forces for their service and sacrifice. We feel that our contributions represent only the beginning of the great debt we owe to these brave men and women who have given so much.