TAMPA, FL. – SOF Missions, a Tampa-based non-profit providing free clinical, coordinated and collaborative care to veterans across the country, announced Wednesday their organization raised more than $93,300 at their Operation Helping Heroes Charity Golf Tournament held on Feb. 19.
The event, now in its third year, saw 112 golfers convene at the Candler Hills Golf Course in Ocala on Saturday to support SOF Missions, their Be Resilient Clinics, and the future construction of SOF Missions’ Center of Excellence (COE), an 18,000-square-foot facility that will house their whole-health care program to serve veterans and active-duty military members across the country.
According to SOF Missions, the COE facility will bring veterans and active-duty servicemembers together to experience the four pillars of resiliency — physical, psychological, social and spiritual — in a “serene setting to foster whole health and healing.”
The COE will be located in the Tampa Bay area and act as SOF Missions headquarters and flagship location. The campus plans to offer medical clinics, resiliency training, and inpatient and outpatient services in-house to past and present military members seeking help for various mental, physical and emotional issues.
Additionally, the COE will serve as a “launchpad” to allow veterans to continue care in their hometown through local and virtual healthcare providers.
“Right now, SOF Missions contracts third-party vendors to host or various veteran programs and while we love our partners in the Tampa Bay community, this method is costly and limits the number of veterans we can serve,” explained Dr. Damon Friedman, president and founder of SOF Missions, as well as a retired Lieutenant Colonel within the Special Operations community. “With our very own Center of Excellence, we can increase the number of veterans we can help by 300 percent.”
SOF Missions is currently working to fundraise $5 million to build the first phase of the COE with plans to raise an additional $15 million after initial construction to expand amenities and services.
“Our goal is to have a SOF Missions COE next to every major polytrauma center in the country,” said Friedman.
To date, SOF Missions has served more than 200 veterans and active-duty soldiers with clinical care and another 2,500 veterans through coordinated care, contributing more than $3 million in treatment services to veterans.
Active-duty military and veterans interested in learning more about SOF Missions programs and resources can learn more by visiting www.sofmissions.org or by calling 813.920.0012.
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