Why this exists

Created by a Marine veteran who needed guidance and struggled to find resources and information. After decades of frustration and struggling — hospitalizations, detoxes, therapy, rehab, and treatments — and dealing with insurance companies, employers, and other entities, it became so confusing and frustrating that I just wanted to consolidate a list of validated resources as a starting point.

It can be angering and inflammatory when you are the person who is suffering and everything is put on you. You are always told about all the resources, but it is still up to you to do it all yourself. My solution is that the suffering individual should have a liaison who specializes in supporting that person’s individual, targeted needs — taking the pressure off dealing with insurance companies, state services, federal services, and specialized nonprofits that raise your hopes until you find out there were requirements no one told you about, and much more.

YOU have to figure it all out yourself, and you do not even know where to begin or what is applicable to you. That makes every step more frustrating. It took me years of fighting these systems and researching things that snowball into help you did not even realize was available or existed.

Since this site for resources is just getting started, I hope it helps as a starting point for YOU. Never forget: you deserve it. I dedicate this site to the fallen, and I will keep developing it — because WE are just getting started.

SENTRY stands for Support & Emergency Network for Troops, Responders & You. It is a directory, not a charity. We list U.S. 501(c)(3) organizations that serve veterans of every era and branch, first responders, and homeland-security missions — and that have a public record of high ratings and clean books.

Military listings split two ways. All Branches is for groups that serve every service. Open Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, or Coast Guard for the relief society and associations built for that uniform — the colors and emblem change with the tab.

VA Claims lists free accredited VSOs first, then VA-accredited law firms that veterans and practitioners keep naming for appeals. Confirm anyone who would represent you on VA’s accreditation list. VA Healthcare starts with enrollment, Community Care, and Vet Centers, then independent clinics known for short waits and military-competent care.

To appear here, an organization generally meets several of these tests:

• Charity Navigator 4-star (or a documented 3-star with an outsized, unique mission)
• CharityWatch A or A+ where rated
• GuideStar / Candid Gold or Platinum transparency seal
• A high share of spending on programs rather than fundraising overhead
• A long public track record without unresolved diversion-of-assets findings

We excluded organizations with well-known, unresolved transparency scandals even when later ratings recovered. Inclusion is not an endorsement of every program, and omission is not an accusation. Ratings move. Before you donate, open the EIN on Charity Navigator and read the latest Form 990.

Photos appear only when they are of that facility. Phone numbers and addresses are the published national contacts; many of these groups also have local chapters.

If you are in crisis, skip the directory. Call 988 and press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line, or use CopLine or Safe Call Now if you are a first responder.