Committed To Serving Those Who Served Us
The Joel Fund was started by Brooke Dickhart in memory of her dad, Joe Silva, who was a Navy SEAL for almost 20 years. Joe did four tours in Vietnam, served on SEAL Team 2, and was a plank owner of SEAL Team 6. He retired as a Master Chief Petty Officer with numerous medals which included a Navy and Marine Corps Medal, two Bronze Stars, and two Purple Heart
s. In December 2014, Brookeβs dad passed away after a six-year battle with PTSD, substance abuse, and depression. There are countless nonprofits doing amazing work for veterans and their families. However, Brooke knows first hand that it can be a very stressful and discouraging process trying to get information on these organizations. What started out as a mission to connect veterans to non-traditional services has grown into a solid community of support for veterans and their families. This community of support includes a collaboration with organizations that provide non-traditional services for veterans and their families, art classes, and local events to encourage veterans to be active in their community.