Veteran Tickets Foundation

Other

June 23, 2016

Each issue in this section, the editorial staff of Military Embedded Systems will highlight a different charity that benefits military veterans and their families. We are honored to cover the technology that protects those who protect us every day. To back that up, our parent company – OpenSystems Media – will make a donation to every charity we showcase on this page.

This issue we are featuring Veteran Tickets Foundation (known as Vet Tix), a national nonprofit organization that provides free tickets – to sporting events, concerts, arts performances, and family activities – to active military troops, veterans, and family members of troops lost in service.

According to the foundation, attendance at such entertainment events can encourage service members to stay engaged with their communities; tickets to cheer for local teams, to enjoy a night at the symphony, or to see their favorite band can enhance their lives by getting them out into their neighborhoods, increasing family bonds through shared interests, and reducing stress through entertainment. Many veterans state that they feel most comfortable around other service members; Vet Tix events often have groups of veterans attending, allowing Vet Tixers to feel comfortable attending an event. Strong family bonds and community reintegration opportunities are essential tools for veterans, says the foundation, during active-duty, post-deployment, and post-service years.

The foundation announced in May 2016 that since its inception in 2008, it has delivered more than two million tickets to service members and families in all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C.

Mike Focareto, a U.S. Navy veteran and the founder and CEO of Vet Tix, says that he founded the organization in 2008 after attending a football game during which he noticed many empty seats. “I began thinking of how many veterans were missing out on this type of ‘all-American’ experience for which they sacrificed so much and would have been thrilled to be sitting in one of those seats.”

For more information, visit www.vettix.org.