The Department of Veterans Affairs has awarded $15.9 million in grants to fund adaptive sports, recreational activities, and equine therapy for veterans and service members living with disabilities.
VA’s Adaptive Sports Grant Program will provide grants to 91 national, regional, and community-based programs for fiscal year 2024 across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico, according to a VA release. The programs will collectively provide life-changing opportunities for more than 15,000 veterans and members of the Armed Forces.
Adaptive sports are competitive or recreational sports and activities customized to fit the needs of veterans with disabilities, including paralympic sports, archery, cycling, skiing, hunting, rock climbing, and sky diving. They allow veterans to rehabilitate through recreation and encourage an active and fit lifestyle.
“These grants give veterans life-changing opportunities to participate in adaptive sports in the communities where they live all across the country,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough in a statement. “We know adaptive sports and recreational activities can be transformational for veterans living with disabilities, improving their overall physical and mental health, and also giving them important community with fellow heroes who served.”