New Service Helps Connect Veterans & Families Statewide

The Eagle Ops Foundation started a new service in Oklahoma to help connect veterans and their families from across the state.

Leaders say that for years, many veterans, active duty service members, and their loved ones haven’t known about the events and programs which are available to help them.

The non-profit based in Owasso started a new website called “OKVeteranscalender.com" to help veterans find events or programs to support them in Oklahoma. Any organization or person can submit an event that is taking place near their area for free.

Eagle Ops is now getting entries ranging from VFWs, American Legion groups, and even businesses.

Jessica Shepherd, Co-Founder of Eagle Ops Foundation, says veterans statewide and across the nation are suffering from isolation, and this calendar is helping connect and unite them with each other.

“We are also starting to get feedback on the Facebook page and we’re hearing from veterans saying, I didn’t know this was happening in my community. Now I have something to go to this weekend and I have something I can attend. I learned about this organization that I didn’t know existed because of this calendar,” Shepherd said.

To help them in the new effort, the Eagle Ops Foundation is working in partnership with several agencies, such as Oklahoma’s American Legion and the Department of Veteran Affairs. Co-Founder Johnathon Shepherd is hoping this new service widens the accessibility of resources for veterans statewide.

“For example, if you are plugged into the VA or the VFW you might be on their email list for events for that organization and you’ll get information for them. But this calendar is for every organization, and you are going to see every organization that puts events on there versus just one organization you might be plugged into,” Johnathon Shepherd said.

Shepherd says that long term, they want veteran organizations with their own calendar of events to be able to transfer their list into the new site.

During the first year, the website is being funded by the Warriors for Freedom Foundation.

Eagle Ops will be looking for donations in the future to help them continue their operations.