Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Lang.
Hi Michelle, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In 2019 my husband decided to put our family first and walk away from the Army after 8 years. It was unplanned, but we felt this was the best choice for our family. Together, we did our best to transition him from active duty to civilian life and moved our family back to our home state of Pennsylvania, where he landed a job. We both tried to prepare for civilian life in our ways, but we were very unprepared for the mental toll it would take on him and how he would grieve his service. He contacted the local VA to seek mental health treatment, and they told him they could not help him. He did not qualify for their services after 8 years of service. Neither one of us was prepared for that. I began researching local help that specialized in helping veterans and couldn’t find what he needed. Our relationship suffered to the point that we no longer spoke to each other, and I was sure we were headed for divorce. I watched him mentally decline to the point I thought he might become another veteran statistic. We got him into a local therapist, which was not helpful as he had no experience working with military or military families. At the same time, we were trying to find resources for our neighbor, a Vietnam veteran who was being evicted from his home. His family lived across the US and struggled to find a place to go. Eventually, through a lot of hard work, my husband and I were able to repair our relationship and his mental health and find our neighbor’s help. The difficulty I had finding local resources and how it almost destroyed our family and life as we knew it felt incredibly unfair and isolating. I knew something had to change. I started talking to other military spouses and veterans and learned they also had trouble finding resources local to them, which also took a toll on their mental health. My husband signed up with the Army Reserve and started working full-time in the military life. When we moved down to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and spoke to more people about this local resource database, I knew I needed to create this. In November of 2021, Veteran Help Point became a 501c3, and currently, we are focusing on building local resources for the southeastern region of the United States! We are still growing this region and gaining traction. Once the southeast region is built out, we will move north and out west.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
This journey has been incredibly difficult. There have been many times I’ve wanted to quit because I lose faith in myself. I keep going because I know this is an important mission, and I don’t want families to suffer as mine did. I have a business management degree, but starting your own nonprofit is still a steep learning curve. Mostly the first year has been about learning and a lot of trial and error. Building trust with clients and donors is a long road, and honing in on best business practices for the company.
We’ve been impressed with Veteran Help Point, but for folks who might need to be more familiar, what can you share about what you do and what sets you apart?
Veteran Help Point is a military spouse-owned nonprofit that specializes in local resources. We aim to create a national database of vetted local resources that veterans and those who care for and love a veteran can easily access to see what is in their area to get them quality help quicker. Specifically, helping those veterans who do not live near a military town or in rural areas where help target towards military is not as easy to find. There is a barrier to finding help because people need to figure out where to look, and we aim to cut through the noise and become the number one trusted brand to get veterans’ local help. What sets us apart is that I’m a military spouse who has lived through the nonsense and frustration of being in the gap of care. My personal experience helps fuel my passion for helping other families before they reach the point of desperation but still meet them where they are. We offer local resources for the southeast region currently and actively looking for volunteers to help with each state. Still, we also offer virtual resources where veterans are more than just a number. These resources can help close the lack of care and offerings in rural areas, which I’m proud of.
Let’s end by discussing what matters most to you and why.
This company is so much bigger than me or my story. It’s the people out there that I’m trying to reach and putting my pain to the purpose that drives me to succeed. Military life can be very taxing and challenging, and I have a heart for military marriages. I want to give military and veteran families back peace of mind and breathe a sigh of relief knowing that Veteran Help Point has the answers for them.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.veteranhelppoint.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/veteranhelppoint/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VeteranHelpPoint
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran-help-point/
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-baker-lang/
Image Credits
Brady Mellott, Meagan Mellott Photography
