Just Do Good Campaign: IMPACT 22
Last month, we launched the Just Do Good Campaign. The campaign was created with the goal of highlighting businesses, student groups, and private enterprises for various #JustDoGood service acts. Groups submit their stories on our submission page (FOUND HERE), then we select from the stories that showcase people making this world a better place! This week, we’re sharing Deborah Watson's story. Deborah is the Executive Director of IMPACT 22. Keep reading to hear more about Deborah's #JustDoGood work.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder does not need to be the end of a soldier's story. I made a comment to IMPACT 22’s website designer, "Won't it be great when we're able to play a small part in helping drive down the suicide rate among our nation's veterans from 22 to less than 1?" The next day I woke up to find the logo he made that read, IMPACT 22 - Your burden is our burden.
Immediately we began a t-shirt campaign and within a year have seen our campaign reach 26 states and 2 countries. The people that wear our shirts do so on the 22nd of every month (although many have been doing it more often) as a show of solidarity for our nation's veterans. This next year we are going to start traveling from Branson, MO, into Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Georgia, and any other place we are invited to come and spread awareness. We began encouraging other people to learn about PTSD, what it is and is not and how to help support those who suffer from it. It affects 50{2204c5d06a2333403476cf9e3e7e547d79f3545ee5a4cb715bc6c3341feceb9f} of the world’s population! It seemed like such an overwhelming task that I knew in my heart of hearts the only way to achieve such a goal was through education, empowerment and time.
Starting January 1st- we're challenging each state to have a representative that will oversee their state in the 22-pushup challenge for 22 days. Then next spring, we're going to have a challenge to see which state can have the largest collective gathering of people doing 22 pushups together in one venue! We will then PUSH throughout 2018 and drive down the suicide rate among our veterans by empowering them to reach out to the civilians and fight for them because while the suicide rate among our veterans has dropped from 22 a day to 20 a day, the suicide among our nation has risen by 24{2204c5d06a2333403476cf9e3e7e547d79f3545ee5a4cb715bc6c3341feceb9f}!
I have watched our team connect with people in everyday life by meeting them where they are. Our goal is to let parents know they don't have to worry about their son or daughter if they are getting help from trained professionals and let those that have buried wounds know that it's okay to talk to someone about it because healing will come and that they are not alone. We believe that their inner struggles can come to an end this year and that identifying their personal triggers and learning how to cope with them can empower them to live life again!
Immediately we began a t-shirt campaign and within a year have seen our campaign reach 26 states and 2 countries. The people that wear our shirts do so on the 22nd of every month (although many have been doing it more often) as a show of solidarity for our nation's veterans. This next year we are going to start traveling from Branson, MO, into Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Georgia, and any other place we are invited to come and spread awareness. We began encouraging other people to learn about PTSD, what it is and is not and how to help support those who suffer from it. It affects 50{2204c5d06a2333403476cf9e3e7e547d79f3545ee5a4cb715bc6c3341feceb9f} of the world’s population! It seemed like such an overwhelming task that I knew in my heart of hearts the only way to achieve such a goal was through education, empowerment and time.
Starting January 1st- we're challenging each state to have a representative that will oversee their state in the 22-pushup challenge for 22 days. Then next spring, we're going to have a challenge to see which state can have the largest collective gathering of people doing 22 pushups together in one venue! We will then PUSH throughout 2018 and drive down the suicide rate among our veterans by empowering them to reach out to the civilians and fight for them because while the suicide rate among our veterans has dropped from 22 a day to 20 a day, the suicide among our nation has risen by 24{2204c5d06a2333403476cf9e3e7e547d79f3545ee5a4cb715bc6c3341feceb9f}!
I have watched our team connect with people in everyday life by meeting them where they are. Our goal is to let parents know they don't have to worry about their son or daughter if they are getting help from trained professionals and let those that have buried wounds know that it's okay to talk to someone about it because healing will come and that they are not alone. We believe that their inner struggles can come to an end this year and that identifying their personal triggers and learning how to cope with them can empower them to live life again!
-Deborah Watson
Executive Director IMPACT 22
To have your story published, click our submission page Just Do Good Submission Page.