The VA Adaptive Sports Grant Program provides funding for private organizations to plan adaptive sports programs for disabled veterans and servicemembers. (Photo: VA.gov)

On Thursday, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced that it will be awarding $16 million in grants to support disabled veterans and servicemembers with their rehabilitation goals.

Over 100 different organizations, including eight in California, will receive funding from the VA’s Adaptive Sports Grant Program. Across the country, the program will fund support for over 13,500 veterans by allowing organizations to “plan, develop, manage, and implement programs to provide adaptive sports opportunities for disabled veterans and disabled members of the Armed Forces.”

The VA says that the program provides “benefits for boosting physical and mental health,” allowing disabled veterans and servicemembers to participate in sports such as cycling, kayaking, hunting, skiing, and equine therapy, among other approved sports.

In California, the organizations that have received grants include:

• Adaptive Training Academy LLC, San Diego
• Aqua-Nut Divers, Bakersfield
• Association of Amputee Surfers, Pismo Beach
• Break the Barriers, Inc., Fresno
• Central California Adaptive Sports Center, Shaver Lake
• Challenged Athletes, Inc., San Diego
• Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra, Mammoth Lakes
• Riekes Center for Human Enhancement, Menlo Park

The VA also notes that the Adaptive Sports Grant Program grants also “benefit Olympic and Paralympic national governing bodies.”

California Veterans

According to the 2020 Census, over 1.8 million veterans live in California; although, it is unclear how many qualify for disability benefits.

However, a 2017 report by the California Department of Veterans Affairs Legislative Analyst’s Office, or LAO, notes that the most pressing issue for California veterans is homelessness and serving veterans with complex behavioral health needs in veterans homes—an issue that is receiving increasing attention during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Most recently, the VA announced it would be granting over $116 million to combat veteran homeless nationwide, with $12 million being directed to California veterans.

Author: Christian Southards

Coming from a family with a proud military background and wanting to contribute his writing skills to a worthy cause, Christian began writing for the California American Legion in August of 2020. His father is a 25-year Army Veteran and his grandfather served in the Navy during Vietnam.