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Face the Fight and the Power of Collective Action This Veterans Day

November 10, 2025

Face the Fight is a national initiative co-founded by USAA, Reach Resilience, and the Humana Foundation that brings together over 250 organizations to combat the crisis of veteran suicide, which occurs at rates nearly 1. 5 times higher than the general population. The movement aims to dramatically reduce these deaths by 2032 through breaking down stigma, expanding mental health care access, and creating support networks that treat help-seeking as strength rather than weakness.

Who is affected

  • Veterans (particularly those in rural areas, Black veterans, and low-income veterans)
  • Veterans' families and loved ones
  • Underserved veteran communities facing barriers to care
  • Over 250 cross-sector partner organizations participating in Face the Fight
  • 27 nonprofit organizations that recently received grants (including Support The Enlisted Project, Centerstone Military Services, Veteran Spouse Network, and Penn Center for Prevention of Suicide)

What action is being taken

  • Face the Fight is mobilizing resources and funding to reduce veteran suicide
  • Partners are expanding access to mental health care and proven solutions
  • Organizations are working to break stigma around seeking help
  • The initiative is building peer support networks
  • Donors and partners are providing funding commitments (more than $85 million pledged through 2027)
  • Face the Fight has distributed more than $41.5 million to various initiatives
  • The movement is addressing social and structural factors contributing to suicide risk

Why it matters

  • Veterans die by suicide at nearly 1.5 times the rate of the general population, representing both a public health crisis and an equity issue. Suicide risk is shaped by systemic factors including geographic location (rural veterans face higher rates due to isolation and fewer resources), race (Black veterans experience higher rates than Black non-veterans despite lower overall rates), income level, and access to culturally competent care. Addressing veteran suicide requires tackling these social and structural inequities rather than treating it solely as an individual issue, making collaborative, well-funded prevention efforts essential to saving lives and building stronger communities.

What's next

  • The initiative aims to dramatically reduce veteran suicide by 2032. Partners have committed funding through 2027 to continue expanding prevention efforts. Individuals can get involved by visiting wefacethefight.org to access tools, support options, and suicide prevention training.

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer