The Elizabeth Dole Foundation announced that Maame Bassaw of DuPont, Washington is among the 20 military and veteran caregivers from across the country who will make up its 2025 Class of Dole Caregiver Fellows. The Fellowship is a highly selective program that empowers those caring for a service member or veteran to serve as leaders in their local communities while also representing their peers in national advocacy initiatives. The new Fellows are the first to be selected since release of the Foundation’s landmark RAND study, America’s Military and Veteran Caregivers: Hidden Heroes Emerging from the Shadows, which revealed a threefold increase in the number of military and veteran caregivers in our country—now totaling 14.3 million—underscoring the immense contributions they make to our economy and society and the complex challenges they often face.
“This year’s Dole Caregiver Fellows will play an integral role as the Elizabeth Dole Foundation confronts the growing magnitude of the caregiver crisis in America,” said Steve Schwab, CEO, Elizabeth Dole Foundation. “Our Fellows are our first line of support and connection to the millions of loved ones caring for someone who served, and their insights, perspectives, and experiences enrich the programs and services we provide to caregivers, veterans, and their families.”
Bassaw will begin her two-year Fellowship this month by traveling to Washington, D.C. to participate in the Foundation’s 10th Annual National Convening on Military Caregiving on May 20, featuring U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins. Bassaw will also receive training from the Foundation to serve as a community builder in her home state of Washington and share her experiences with elected officials, including those in her local areas and national leaders in the White House, Congress, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and other government agencies.
Bassaw serves as a caregiver for her father, an Army veteran who suffers from a mobility-limiting disability and neurological complications. Her story is linked here and pasted below.
If you are interested in conducting an interview with Maame Bassaw or with a spokesperson from the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, please contact Tessa Miller tessa@elizabethdolefoundation.org.
Congratulations!