As the daughter of a Navy SEAL, Brooke Dickhart had a wonderful life growing up in Virginia Beach, later marrying, starting a family, and owing a business. When her dad passed away in 2014 after a seemingly decades-long battle with PTSD, Brooke took it upon herself to help other families walking a similar path becoming the founder and director of The Joel Fund. Brooke started The Joel Fund shortly after her father’s passing as a way to connect veterans to their community, and to provide resources to those struggling with some of the same issues her dad fought for much of his life. There is no “one size fits all” answer to providing aid for the mental, physical, and emotional health challenges faced by some of our veterans – or the financial implications that are a direct result of those struggles. The Joel Fund works hard to offer solutions, genuine help, and connection to our nation’s finest – whether it be through art classes, their ongoing work within their local VA, or finding ways to provide lasting relationships within the community.
