KALISPELL — Underwater Soldiers, a nonprofit organization providing therapeutic scuba diving for veterans, has received a significant boost thanks to a grant from the Scripps Howard Foundation.
This funding is critical to the organization's newest chapter in Great Falls, Montana, enabling them to offer their unique form of recreational therapy to more veterans in need.
Sean Weisz, President and Co-Founder of Underwater Soldiers, expressed gratitude for the grant and highlighted its importance in launching the Great Falls chapter.
"Underwater Soldiers in Great Falls is a brand-new organization as of February 2024. The Scripps Grant is helping us cover essential operational costs like pool rentals and gear from local dive shops, allowing us to continue our therapy dives,” said Weisz.
The Scripps Howard Foundation's contribution plays a vital role in sustaining the organization’s mission, which focuses on three key areas: providing scuba diving as therapy for veterans, leading environmental cleanup dives, and fostering a supportive community of veterans.
"The most important thing we do is build a community of veterans to support one another. The Scripps Grant allows us to lay the foundation in Great Falls, helping this new chapter become financially independent and serve the local veteran community," Weisz explained.
Scuba diving, which has been shown to promote mindfulness and reduce stress, has become an effective therapy for veterans, particularly those coping with PTSD.
Weisz emphasized the ongoing nature of the program, with therapy dives held biweekly. “We wanted to focus on continuous therapy. Every two weeks, veterans can come out, join us, and use scuba diving as a form of therapy,” he said.
Beyond therapy, Underwater Soldiers also contributes to environmental preservation through cleanup dives in local watersheds, including Giant Springs. To date, they’ve removed more than 13,500 pounds of trash.
The Scripps grant is also helping sustain these efforts, as the organization often opens its cleanup dives to the public to ensure enough volunteers are available.
Weisz emphasized the long-term impact of the Scripps Howard Foundation’s support, both for the environment and for veterans’ well-being. “Thank you, Scripps, for the generous donation. Your support is making it possible for us to give back to the community, help our veterans, and, quite honestly, save lives,” Weisz said.
The grant marks a pivotal step in ensuring that Underwater Soldiers can continue expanding their reach, offering vital support to veterans and local communities through the healing power of scuba diving. For more info on UWS, click here to visit the website.
