American Legion provides $9,083 grant for Vet Center art, music therapy

The American Legion Ryan Winslow Post 911 in Hoover this month presented a $9,083 grant from the American Legion’s Operation Comfort Warrior program to support art and music therapy at the Birmingham Vet Center in Hoover.

The money will be used to purchase supplies such as canvas, paint, brushes, color pencils, clay, cameras, sheet music, guitar stands and more, said Tia Martin, director of the center.

Martin praised the work of Army veteran and licensed marriage and family therapist Michelle Davidson for bringing expressive therapy programs to the Birmingham Vet Center.

Art and music therapy programs are used to help veterans overcome the mental and physical wounds suffered during deployments and to work with family members in the adjustment process. The Army has said that up to 20 percent of the men and women who served in Afghanistan or Iraq have suffered from traumatic brain injuries.

The American Legion’s Operation Comfort Warrior program was created to provide non-essential items that help wounded warriors’ recovery but don’t usually show up as a budget line on government spreadsheets. People can donate to this program through the American Legion.

Ron Bradstreet, the state commander for the American Legion and a member of the Ryan Winslow Post 911 in Hoover, said his post works closely with the Vet Center to help it purchase supplies not funded through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Members of the post believe they are making a difference in the health and well-being of veterans and their families, he said. “Our goal is zero veteran suicides in Alabama,” Bradstreet said.