Submitted by The Cohen Clinic at Valley Cities.
Cohen Veterans Network (CVN), a national not-for-profit network of mental health clinics for post-9/11 veterans, service members and their families, announced that it will make a donation to Nourish Pierce County as part of its new initiative to help combat food insecurity among military families around the country this holiday season. The donation is one of 22 the network is making to local food banks in communities served by its Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinics, which includes The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Valley Cities in Lakewood, WA. Each food bank will receive $1,000 to further their efforts to provide essential support to military families, veterans, and their neighbors in need.
In 2023, 27.7% of currently serving military families experienced food insecurity, up from 23.3% in 2021, according to a survey by the Military Family Advisory Network. While 18.8% of families who joined the military in the last 10 years scored very low on food insecurity.
“Food insecurity continues to be a significant challenge for many military families,” said Cohen Veterans Network President and CEO Dr. Anthony Hassan. “By supporting local food banks around the country, we aim to ease the burden of military families, helping to ensure they have access to the food they need this holiday season.”
The initiative reflects CVN’s commitment to holistic care, which extends beyond mental health services. In addition to therapy, the network’s 22 Cohen Clinics, including the Cohen Clinic in Lakewood, provide clients with comprehensive case management support. These services address social drivers of health, such as employment, finances, housing, food insecurity, and other challenges, helping clients connect with essential resources.
Since it opened in 2019, the Cohen Clinic at Valley Cities in Lakewood has served nearly 7,000 veterans, active duty service members and their families.
“With the cost of living in our region, we have seen food insecurity become a significant challenge for our community, especially for military families relocating to the Pacific Northwest,” said Dr. Nichole Ayres, Clinic Director of the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Valley Cities. “Our team sees firsthand how challenges like food insecurity can strain mental health and contribute to the risk of suicide faced by many members of our communities. We are grateful to be part of this important initiative by Cohen Veterans Network to support local food banks during the holiday season. I hope that others with the resources and ability to do so will be inspired to also support the incredible organizations, like Nourish Pierce County, doing this important work every day. By addressing these needs together, we reaffirm our commitment to providing holistic care and ensuring our military families have the support they need to thrive.”
Learn more about Nourish Pierce County by visiting nourishpc.org.
Since its inception in 2016, CVN has treated 77,000 clients and provided over 675,000 clinical sessions. The network treats a wide variety of mental health concerns, including depression, anxiety, transition challenges, anger, PTSD, grief and loss, family issues, relationship problems, and children’s behavioral problems. Care is available through the network’s 22 Cohen Clinics serving 20 states in-person and via CVN Telehealth, face-to-face video therapy.
