This year, with support from PenFed Foundation, construction began on the PenFed Grand Lodge in support of Serve Our Willing Warriors (SOWW) in Haymarket, Virginia. SOWW is a charitable organization providing cost-free retreat stays and programs that positively impact wounded, ill, and injured service members, disabled veterans and their families. In addition to providing respite for wounded warriors and families, the PenFed Grand Lodge will impact warrior groups by delivering programs for post-traumatic stress counseling, job training, entrepreneurial training, and education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The PenFed Foundation has also taken steps to help veterans transition into agriculture in Northern Virginia, through a partnership with Arcadia Farms Veteran Farming Program. Arcadia is training a new generation of American farmers—military veterans—for meaningful new careers in agriculture. 

Another key initiative involves providing service dogs to veterans, a project that offers companionship and aids in their journey of healing and rehabilitation. Another significant endeavor is adapting homes to be handicap-accessible, ensuring that veterans can live comfortably and independently. Perhaps most notably, our efforts extend to life-saving missions, such as the relocation of 43 Afghan military women allies to the USA, including many in Northern Virginia, safeguarding them from persecution. These actions are more than charitable efforts. They are life-altering interventions that bring about tangible, positive changes in the lives of those who have bravely served.