Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeremy Harrell.

Hi Jeremy, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I have always had a desire to help others beginning at a very young age. Being an advocate for the underdog has always been appealing to me, mainly because I was that underdog so much of my early life. My faith is also a huge component as to why loving my neighbor is so important to me. That desire was met after my military service in Iraq and I returned home different and with many challenges associate with my time there. These challenges weren’t the normal run of the mill struggles, but life altering issues related to my time in service. After nearly a decade of navigating these challenges, My wife and I decided to create an organization that could address these same challenges for other Veterans. With nearly 22 Veterans taking their lives everyday due to PTSD, Depression, Physical Pain, Homelessness, etc, it was apparent there was a true need. I experienced all of those personally and vowed to do all I could to try and mitigate these issues from lived experience and biblical teaching as it pertains to trauma and other life challenges. There are so many gaps and systemic failures in the way Veterans and First Responders are supported during and after service that I felt compelled to do what I could to assist. This path is how our organization, Veteran’s Club Inc. was born. Veteran’s Club Inc. is a nationally recognized organization with many unique and effective programs supporting Veterans, First Responders, and their families. I am dedicated to filling the gaps to the best of my abilities in an effort to combat Veteran Suicide. What has been done historically in America has not been effective as this has been an epidemic for far too long.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
This process has been anything but a smooth road. Being a disabled Veteran who continues to struggle daily with mental and physical health challenges, it often magnifies the level of difficulty to get things done. There are more days than not that I am often unable to assist. Thankfully, I am surrounded by an incredible team of Leaders, Volunteers, and Partners that ensure my vision and implementation of programs along with new ways of assisting our nation’s heroes are carried out effectively. My bride, Erin is a major player in making sure we are doing the most good for those we serve. Although she is often helping to carry out the mission behind the curtain so to speak. In my opinion, the true test of an effective leader is how successful the organization is in their absence. Another challenge that we’ve faced while serving the Veteran / First Responder community is convincing these folks that asking for help in any way is not a display of weakness. The military / first responder community is trained to embrace hardships, stuff them down, and continue the mission. While that serves us in a combat zone or while protecting and serving the community, it creates difficulty in other areas of our lives. So while we have done an excellent job of breaking the stigma of seeking help, there is still an element of apprehension. What makes Veteran’s Club so good at this is the fact that I have lived in their shoes and deal with much of the same challenges they often face. It builds trust and understanding which equals progress.

As you know, we’re big fans of Veteran’s Club INC . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
The mission of Veteran’s Club INC is to provide connection, healing, recovery, immediate needs assistance, and vocational training to the Veteran and First Responder Community. Veteran’s Club INC offers a broad range of nationally recognized and award winning programs designed to provide connection and supportive services to those we serve. Veteran’s Club has been featured on many national and local media outlets including television, magazines, publications, and more. We are most known for our very personal approach to serving our community standing behind our motto of doing life together. Additionally, unlike many organizations, we are continuously improving our programs, creating new ones, and adapting our services to the ever changing needs of the community. Veteran’s Club INC was presented to Congress during the Covid-19 pandemic as an organization that continued to serve when our Veterans / First Responders needed it the most due to the uncertainty of a global pandemic and ever increasing mental health crisis amongst Veterans. In short, we are most known for our desire to do whatever it takes and under any circumstances to ensure our nation’s heroes have the support they need. One thing that sets us a part is the authentic relationships we establish with those we serve and supporting partners across the country. We are essentially a very large family of protectors who truly have each other’s backs regardless of the circumstances we may find ourselves in. Lastly, some of our programs consist of Equine Facilitated Mentoring, Women Warrior Program, The Resilient Mind ( Coaching, Leadership training, Resilience training ), Operation Jeep Build ( vocational training ), Jail / Prison ministry for incarcerated Veterans, Operation Outreach ( Homeless Veteran Program ), and many recreational opportunities.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
What I like most about the city of Louisville is the southern charm and hospitality. I equally love that we host the Kentucky Derby which is considered the fastest two minutes in sports. Louisville is the only place that celebrates for two weeks for a two minute horse race. The food scene in Louisville is impressive for a city of its size. Unfortunately, there are a few things that I like least about our city. Louisville has a high rate of violent crime, a lack of affordable housing that attributes to a high homelessness rate, low salaries, and weak leadership in certain areas of local government.

Contact Info:

• Website: veteransclubinc.org
• Instagram: @jeremy_w_harrell_official
• Facebook: Jeremy Harrell
• Linkedin: Linkedin.com/in/Jeremy-h-06a7b4175

Image Credits
Erin Harrell, Lola Hauswald, and Mattie Hauwald.