The Heroes Outreach Program, a nonprofit geared toward stemming military veteran suicides in communities in the Mid-Missouri area, introduced itself to a packed crowd in California at its Veterans Day breakfast Monday.
The event was the program’s first formal affair in Moniteau County, after originally getting its start in Eldon and Jefferson City.
Starting Nov. 18, the Heroes Outreach Program will host weekly Coffee Talks for area veterans from 9-10 a.m. at The Gathering Place, 318 S. Oak St. in California, where they’ll have the opportunity to interact with peers who have had similar experiences over a free breakfast of coffee and doughnuts.
The Gathering Place owner Chelsea McGill has chipped in to donate not only the event space but also the food, and she played a part in organizing the larger-scale Veterans Day event at the California Nutrition Center. California Elementary School’s California Kids choir sang “The Star Spangled Banner” and Bruno Mars’ “Count On Me” at the event.
Heroes Outreach Program President John Morlock showed a short presentation informing the veterans in attendance about the program.
Morlock said while the free coffee and breakfast is always something the program loves to offer, the purpose is much deeper.
“The purpose of these gatherings … is not just to give free coffee to veterans, but as an outreach into the community so that we can start addressing the epidemic of 22 veterans each day committing suicide,” Morlock said.
Morlock, a retired combat medic with tours in Honduras, Somalia and in the Gulf War, founded the Heroes Outreach Program in 2016 after a lengthy battle with PTSD, including a survived suicide attempt nearly two decades ago. The program’s aim is to stem the tide of veteran suicide by fostering a supportive environment of other veterans who can keep an eye on one another and make sure each one has someone to turn to in the midst of their own struggles.
In the same vein as Alcholics Anonymous having a heavy presence nationwide, Morlock said, the goal is for the Heroes Outreach Program to reach such a level of service.
If you or a veteran you know is struggling with thoughts of self-harm or suicide, call the National Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255.