For Immediate Release:
October 13, 2026
Santa Rosa, CA – The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is once again investing in Nation’s Finest’s work to prevent Veteran suicide across the North Bay. The organization has been awarded $562,500 for fiscal year 2027 through the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, which has funded the organization’s dedicated suicide prevention team since the program’s first year in 2022. The team provides free services to Veterans and their families in Lake, Marin, Mendocino, and Sonoma counties.
Nation’s Finest is one of 191 community organizations to receive funding through the program this year, with awards totaling $111.9 million. The grant program supports community-based organizations that reach Veterans where they live, particularly those who are not connected to VA care. According to the VA, 62% of Veterans who died by suicide in 2023 were not receiving VA health care in the last year of their life. More information about the program is available at MentalHealth.VA.gov/ssgfox-grants.
Nation’s Finest’s suicide prevention services are available now, including in rural communities where support can be harder to reach. Services include mental health screenings, case management, help accessing VA and other benefits, and connections to housing, transportation, and other supportive services based on individual need. Veterans can receive services whether or not they use VA health care.
Since its launch, the program has served 216 Veterans across the North Bay. During the most recent reporting period, 76 Veterans enrolled, all with identified suicide risk factors, and nearly 30% were not connected to VA services when they joined. Among participants with follow-up assessments, 77% showed improvement in depressive symptoms, 76% reported improved overall emotional well-being, 62% reported stronger social support and connection, and 56% showed improvement in financial and housing stability.
“As a military retiree and combat Veteran who has endured my own struggles, I know firsthand the importance of the work this grant enables,” said Chris Flaherty, Nation’s Finest Chief Executive Officer. “Because of this continued investment from the VA, our team of peer specialists can meet Veterans wherever they happen to be across the North Bay, from larger communities to the most rural corners of Lake and Mendocino counties, and connect them with support before they reach a crisis point. It is this human connection that makes all the difference.”
“Community organizations are critical to reaching Veterans who may not otherwise connect with VA care,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins. “VA’s Fox grant program often serves as a bridge between vital federal resources and vulnerable Veterans in need of help.”
Veterans don’t have to wait until they’re in crisis to reach out. Nation’s Finest encourages any Veteran who is struggling, and the family members, friends, and community partners who support them to connect with its team. To learn more about suicide prevention services or to make a referral, email welcome@nationsfinest.org or call 1-833-468-9676.
If you’re a Veteran in crisis or concerned about one, contact the Veterans Crisis Line to receive 24/7, confidential support. You don’t have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to connect. Dial 988 then Press 1, chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat, or text 838255.
About Nation’s Finest:
Nation’s Finest is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit Veteran services organizations, serving more than 7,400 Veterans and their families each year across 30 locations in California, Arizona, and Nevada. Guided by its mission to give every Veteran the support and respect they need to live their best life, the organization provides wraparound support to help Veterans achieve stability, health, and independence. From housing and employment to mental health, wellness, and supportive services, Nation’s Finest meets Veterans where they are and stands beside them as they build what’s next.
