At Resua, we believe in giving back to the community. We want to take a moment to reflect on the commitment to service that has shaped us as a company so far. For our founders, volunteering with veterans has been an incredibly meaningful experience that has shaped the way we do business. We have had the opportunity to work with veterans from all walks of life, and we have learned so much from them. In this blog post, we want to share more about our experience volunteering with veterans and how it has influenced our startup. Our founders met doing volunteer service work for disabled veterans, and have worked together for years in the nonprofit sector. Volunteering has always been something that we have been passionate about . Being raised in veteran families and some having served in the military ourselves, we understand the importance of giving back to those who have served our country. Volunteering with veterans has given us a chance to work with veterans from all different backgrounds and learn more about their experiences.
My mom used to joke that I attended my first Red Cross meeting with her when I was less than a month old. Growing up, I remember manning a phone during the Northridge earthquake, turning a K-Mart into a disaster hub during Hurricane Ivan, and hundreds of events in between
– David Hook
on his history of volunteer work
Some of the work we did included coordinating, raising money, and volunteering with programs at our local VA facilities, including providing Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners at the VA Villages (a housing facility for veterans at risk of homelessness). We also fundraised for and were involved with a charity program called Raising a Reader, where we provided books to underprivileged schools, encouraging students to take home books to read with their parents.
One of the most fulfilling aspects [of volunteering with veterans] is being able to make personal connections with them. Some of our most impactful volunteer work seems to be the conversations, the connections, and the time spent with disadvantaged veterans rather than just providing the items or services our charities have funded.
– Darrell Rivers
on his experience doing volunteer work serving veterans
It is through these very interactions that we have been able to gain a better understanding of the challenges that veterans face. This understanding has shaped the way we approach building Resua as a company. Doing volunteer work and leading non-profit groups together allowed us to form bonds and learn how each other works, arguably better than we could have in any business environment. Nothing could have prepared us better for building a startup than our experiences working with tight budgets, difficult volunteers and leaders, and rigorous demands on our time and mental energy.
My first encounter with Chad and Darrell was volunteering at the US Vets Shelter in Long Beach, CA and that has been responsible for one of the greatest friendships and working relationships I have ever had the privilege to enjoy. They had an energy and sense of humor that aligned perfectly with my own and we found over time that when working together we were unstoppable. When it was time to start a business, I knew who I wanted in my corner.
– David Hook
on starting Resua with co-founders Darrell Rivers and Chad Curtis
Our commitment to service and our experiences volunteering with veterans have shaped our company in a number of ways. They have inspired us to start a company that is committed to helping the veteran community. We are bringing that same energy and desire to help our community by providing government agencies and business with the most cutting-edge resources so they can do great things. We are grounded in service, and we hope that Resua will bring some of that legacy of service to our customers and our community.
They have also given us a unique perspective on the challenges that veterans face. We have seen firsthand how difficult it can be for veterans to find employment and housing after they return home from service. We have also seen how many veterans struggle with mental health issues such as PTSD. Although the US has done a lot to provide for veterans through the VA system, we still see veterans going without the care they need, and veterans at risk of homelessness, addiction and mental health problems. It is important that we not only do what we can to help those people, but set the example that no veteran of our armed forces is neglected by the community they served.
If you are interested in volunteering with veterans, we encourage you to reach out to us. We would be happy to share more about our experiences and how you can get involved!
