The Palozola Foundation was founded to help provide Veterans an opportunity to deal with the stresses, mental health, PTSD, physical, family and social impacts of having served in the military, especially in active combat service. Veterans encounter many struggles when returning to civilian life in the United States after their service.
Foundation founder, Maria Palozola, is a nationally known Golf Professional, in St. Louis, MO. where together with her sister Sally Palozola ... Read More
The Palozola Foundation was founded to help provide Veterans an opportunity to deal with the stresses, mental health, PTSD, physical, family and social impacts of having served in the military, especially in active combat service. Veterans encounter many struggles when returning to civilian life in the United States after their service.
Foundation founder, Maria Palozola, is a nationally known Golf Professional, in St. Louis, MO. where together with her sister Sally Palozola Cherre, they decided to develop a foundation that would use golf to help Veterans. Their belief and experience is golf acts as a healing agent and outlet for physical activity for Veterans and their families coping with PTSD, mental illness, physical handicaps and societal inclusion and integration. Maria also seeks to make golf more accessible to Veterans with physical handicaps such as missing limbs.
The work done by the Foundation continues to provide wonderful outlets for Veterans to share their stories with each other, bonding in ways only those who have served can understand. Our direct impact programs include:
Veterans only golf league (serving over 200 veterans at 8 area golf courses) is provided to participants for free
Veterans Appreciation Day (a one day golf tournament for Veterans includes golf and lunch at no charge)
Free Golf clinics for Veterans
2 handicap accessible golf carts located at 2 area golf courses
1 handicap accessible golf practice chair located at the VA Recreation Therapy Service (located at Jefferson Barracks, Saint Louis, MO)
In addition to the physical and social programs described above, The Palozola Foundation began providing ongoing financial and physical support to the Jefferson Barracks Food Pantry in 2020 when Covid-19 forced the pantry to close temporarily. In January of 2022, The Palozola Foundation and its affiliate foundation FORCES FOR FOOD, were pleased to announce merging with Jefferson Barracks Military/Veterans Food Pantry creating a separate 501(c)(3).
There are many other initiatives the Foundation has tackled including working with the VA Recreation Therapy Service to provide a golf simulator for use (along with the practice chair already donated) will aid the staff of the VA Recreation Therapy Service in treating veterans in need.
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