In a newly released video, Tom Hanks asks you, the public, to join him, Johnson & Johnson and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to help stop veteran suicide.
On average, 20 veterans a day commit suicide, and while this problem is always at the forefront of the military community, Hanks and others want the general public to get more involved.
The video is part of the #BeThere campaign and the website, www.BeThereForVeterans.com, has many tools where anyone can easily get involved with very little effort.
You can simply text, email, phone in or chat to get involved. It’s extremely easy.
Johnson & Johnson released a statement on their website that said: “To help combat that statistic, Johnson & Johnson and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have joined forces to launch the new #BeThere campaign aimed at supporting active and retired service members in need of help and resources.”
Johnson & Johnson Chairman and CEO Alex Gorsky said: “Championing the health and well-being of veterans is a priority for Johnson & Johnson—and one that dates as far back as the 1898 Spanish-American War, when the company supported employees while they served.”
VA Secretary Shulkin was on CNBC to talk about the campaign, where he spoke with Squawk Box.
“We are continuing this legacy today through a new employee benefit that provides paid time off after deployment, and our partnership with the VA on the #BeThere campaign, which highlights the importance of engaging our communities to help support veterans and returning service members who may be struggling with the transition back home,” Gorsky said.
Gorsky continued: “The first step is learning to recognize and reach out to people who may be suffering silently in communities across the country. And there’s no better time to start than this month, which the White House just proclaimed Veterans and Military Families Month.”
Here is the powerful video, narrated by Hanks:
When you land on the #BeThere website, you are greeted with this video of veterans talking about how lending a hand has a real impact:
You can learn more by going to www.BeThereForVeterans.com.
